0E  CALIE«  LIBBARY.J  LOS  MGELES 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION 


A  STORY  OF   PERU 


BY 


JULIEN  CATON 


CHICAGO. 


F.  TENNYSON  NEELY, 

PUBLISHER, 
114 

FIFTH  AVENUE, 

[SEW  YORK. 


LONDON. 


Copyright,    1889, 

by 
F.   TENNYSON   NEELY, 

in 
United  States 

and 
Great   Britain. 

All  Rights  Referred. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter  Page 

I.  THE  WRECK  OF  THE  PACIFIC  EXPRESS   -        -        -      7 

II.     A  MAN  AMONG  MEN 18 

III.  ON  BOARD  THE  SALLY  ,T. 31 

IV.  IN  PERUVIAN  WATERS        -----         43 
V      A  DESPERATE  STRUGGLE 52 

VI.  A  SHORT-LIVED  EREEDOM  -,----         61 

VII.  WHITMAN  TURNS  UP                                                  •    74 

VIII.  MYSTERY  ADDED  TO  MYSTERY   -        -        -        -         82 

IX.  THE  ESCAPE  FROM  SANTA  ROSSA    -        -        -        -    91 

X.  A  CAMPAIGN  OF  IMPUDENCE                        -        -       104 

XI.    AN  UNLUCKY  ENCOUNTER 115 

XII.     THE  DESERTED  HOUSE 123 

XIII.  RECAPTURED  AND  RELEASED          -  134 

XIV.  THE  ATTACK  UPON  AREQUIPA  144 
XV.     THE  SACK  OF  AREQUIPA 154 

XVI.  THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ROSSA                                     165 

XVII.     MY  JOURNEY  TO  MOLLENDO 177 

XVIII.  SOME  STRANGE  THINGS      -                                         186 

XIX.  AN  UNDERGROUND  BATTLE    -        -        -        -        -  196 

XX.  FROM  THE  JAWS  OF  DEATH       ...        -       205 


2128643 


vi  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

XXI.     A  NIGHT  OF  TERROR 216 

XXII.  TRAITORS  IN  HIGH  PLACES       ....       226 

XXIII.  CHECKMATE       --------  234 

XXIV.  CARMENCITA  PARAMONTE   -----       244 
XXV.     THE  END  OF  SATANDER 253 

XXVI.  THE  PASSING  OF  PARAMONTE     -        ...       261 

XXVII.     MANUELA 272 

XXVIII.     I  MEET  RIABLO 284 

XXIX.  AN  INTERRUPTED  CEREMONY          -        -        -        -  291 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  WRECK  OF  THE  PACIFIC  EXPRESS. 

I  was  restless.  Ever  since  daybreak  we  had  been 
passing  over  the  same  monotonous  succession  of 
sandy  plain.  Only  an  occasional  clump  of  scrubby 
sage  brush  relieved  the  blinding  glare  of  the  desert. 

With  a  grunt  of  disgust,  I  turned  from  this 
dreary  prospect.  I  tried  to  interest  myself  in  a 
novel  I  had  bought  from  the  train  boy.  The  novel 
was  about  as  interesting  as  the  landscape.  My  mind 
wandered  constantly  and  I  threw  the  book  aside. 

I  was  an  adventurer.  There  were  no  ties  that 
bound  me  to  any  one  place.  I  had  no  country,  no 
creed  save  my  own  inclination.  I  was  a  mere  crea- 
ture of  circumstance,  buffeted  hither  and  thither 
by  the  winds  of  fortune.  As  for  my  private  char- 
acter, the  less  said  about  it  the  better. 

I  was  a  soldier  and  an  adventurer  by  birth  and 
by  choice.  The  career  of  my  father  before  me — 
Garnack  Pasha,  as  he  was  best  known — was  an 
adventurous  and  stormy  one.  He  was  born  a  Vir- 
ginian. He  graduated  from  West  Point  in  the  later 
fifties,  and  served  on  the  frontier  for  several  years. 
When  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  he  joined  the  Con- 
federate Army.  When  the  Confederacy  fell,  he  went 

7 


8  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

to  Europe.  He  was  with  the  Austrians  in  1866.  He 
met  my  mother  while  serving  with  the  army  of 
France  in  the  dark  days  of  1870-71.  My  mother 
died  when  I  was  young. 

From  my  earliest  boyhood  I  was  brought  up  for 
a  military  life.  At  seventeen  I  was  serving  on  my 
father's  staff  in  the  army  of  the  Sultan.  I  remained 
with  my  father  till  he  "was  killed  in  a  duel  with  a 
brother  officer.  I  might  have  remained  in  the  ser- 
vice, but  I  chose  to  leave  Turkey.  I  knocked  about 
a  bit  on  my  own  hook,  till  war  broke  out  between 
China  and  Japan.  I  joined  the  Japs  and  saw  some 
service.  Next  I  was  with  a  French  expedition  into 
the  Soudan.  I  came  near  being  roasted  alive  by 
the  niggers  and  got  my  fill  of  Africa.  When  the  war 
with  Greece  broke  out,  I  was  again  with  the  Turks. 
I  was  one  of  the  few  who  got  within  sight  of  the 
Greeks.  A  bullet  in  my  shoulder  was  my  reward. 

Then  I  came  to  America.  I  meant  to  join  the 
Cubans,  but  when  I  learned  more  of  them  I  changed 
my  mind.  Then  the  Klondike  craze  came.  I  de- 
cided to  go  to  Alaska  and  try  my  hand  at  hunting 
gold. 

Thus  it  was  that  I  turned  up  on  a  west-bound 
Southern  Pacific  train,  where  my  narrative  opens. 
Little  did  I  think,  as  I  gazed  out  upon  the  sandy 
desert,  that  I  was  even  then  treading  upon  the 
threshold  of  the  greatest  drama  of  my  life,  of  a 
series  of  adventures  such  as  few  men  ever  live  to 
narrate. 

The  long  car  contained  the  usual  assortment  of 
passengers.  There  was  the  country  couple,  with 
their  wise  looks  and  affected  air  of  confidence;  the 
portly  capitalist,  on  his  way,  perhaps,  to  inspect 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  9 

some  of  his  mining  interests;  the  drummer,  with 
his  smiling  face  and  stock  of  good  jokes;  the 
mutually  absorbed  newly-married  couple;  and  so 
on.  I  began  amusing  myself  by  noting  their  traits 
of  character.  Rarely  have  I  found  a  better  vantage 
point  from  which  to  study  human  nature  than  a 
railroad  car.  All  the  petty  follies  and  foibles  of 
mankind  here  disclose  themselves. 

In  a  moment  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a 
trio  just  opposite  my  seat.  They  would  have  at- 
tracted attention  anywhere.  Two  were  men;  the 
third  was  a  woman.  I  thought  they  were  foreign- 
ers,— either  Spanish  or  Mexican. 

The  elder  of  the  men  was  of  commanding  pres- 
ence. His  hair  and  beard  were  white  as  snow.  1 
found  it  difficult  to  judge  his  age;  he  might  have 
been  anywhere  above  fifty.  His  forehead  was  broad 
and  massive,  giving  one  an  impression  of  the  im- 
mense mental  power  the  man  possessed.  His  eyes 
were  sunken,  but  from  beneath  the  shaggy  brows 
they  were  wont  to  flash  with  magnetic  force.  He 
was  such  a  man  as  people  turn  to  gaze  after  when 
they  meet  him  on  the  street.  His  very  gesture  pro- 
nounced him  one  born  to  command. 

The  second  man  was  also  striking,  but  in  an  en- 
tirely different  way.  He  was  much  younger  than 
the  first.  His  stature  was  rather  below  the  ordi- 
nary. His  hair  and  carefully  waxed  moustache  were 
of  1  lie  deepest  black.  He  kept  his  small,  white  hands 
in  constant  motion,  and  his  eyes  roved  continually. 
His  whole  appearance  bespoke  a  nervous,  excitable 
disposition.  His  face  was  rather  hard,  but  at  times 
it  had  a  noble  aspect.  He  was  clearly  no  ordinary 
man. 


10  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

The  last  of  the  trio  was  a  woman.  Her  hair  was 
light  and  her  complexion  fair,  and  her  features 
those  of  an  American.  Her  eyes  were  black,  how- 
ever, and  her  whole  appearance  stamped  her  as 
from  a  warmer  clime.  In  her  all  the  attraction  of 
modern  civilization  was  blended,  with  the  romantic 
charm  of  the  Middle  Ages. 

They  were  a  strange  trio.  I  fell  to  wondering 
who  they  were  and  from  what  part  of  the  globe  they 
came. 

Directly,  my  musings  received  a  startling  inter- 
ruption. I  heard  a  shrill  blast  of  warning  from 
our  engine;  it  was  echoed  a  moment  later  by  a 
more  sonorous  one  from  farther  ahead.  The  jarring 
and  bumping  of  the  cars  and  the  whistling  of  the 
brake  shoes  indicated  that  the  engine  was  reversed 
and  the  brakes  on.  Men  started  up  in  alarm  and 
women  screamed.  I  threw  up  my  window  and 
craned  out,  eager  to  know  the  meaning  of  it  all. 

A  heavy  freight  train  was  coming  down  the  grade 
at  a  high  rate  of  speed.  The  freight  could  not  pos- 
sibly be  stopped  before  it  struck  our  train.  We  had 
been  running  fast,  too,  and  our  speed  had  hardly 
begun  to  decrease.  We  were  just  passing  over  a 
long  curving  embankment.  The  engineer  jumped 
and  was  flung  down  the  embankment  like  a  sack 
of  meal.  He  lay  huddled  in  a  limp  mass  in  the 
ditch,  all  still  and  bloody. 

We  were  not  long  in  suspense.  In  a  moment 
there  was  a  crashing  and  smashing  of  steel  and 
wood,  as  the  heavy  freight  engine  struck  our  train. 
Both  trains  were  still  running  at  a  high  rate  of 
speed  when  the  crash  came.  When  they  came  to- 
gether the  two  engines  reared  up  like  wild  horses. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  11 

A  moment  later  the  clouds  of  escaping  steam  hid 
them  from  view.  I  was  pitched  forward  by  the 
force  of  the  collision.  My  head  struck  a  projecting 
corner  of  the  window  frame.  A  wave  of  black- 
ness passed  over  me,  but  it  was  gone  in  a  moment. 
Fortunately  I  was  in  next  to  the  last  car  of  the 
long  train,  and  the  shock  was  not  so  great  as  it 
was  further  forward. 

But  one  thing  remains  vivid  in  my  memory.  A 
pretty  young  woman  was  hurled  from  her  seat. 
She  landed  in  a  heap  in  the  aisle  with  one  foot 
pushed  through  a  band  box  containing  the  personal 
belongings  of  an  old  lady,  and  her  arms  about  a 
drummer  who  had  had  the  fortune  to  fall  beneath 
her.  In  a  moment  she  was  sitting  upright  on  the 
car  floor  with  a  shocked  expression  on  her  face. 
She  looked  for  all  the  world  as  if  she  wanted  some 
one  to  tell  her  what  was  proper  to  do  under  such 
circumstances. 

By  the  force  of  their  own  momentum  the  cars 
were  piled  up  in  great  heaps.  They  were  all 
smashed  and  jammed  together  until  there  was  lit- 
tle semblance  of  a  train  in  the  mass  of  wreckage. 
The  two  cars  which  brought  up  the  rear  of  the 
train  did  not  suffer  this  fate,  however.  They  broke 
loose  from  the  rest  of  the  train,  left  the  track  and 
rolled  down  the  embankment. 

Our  car  turned  completely  over  and  lay  half  in 
the  dry  bed  of  a  stream  and  half  tilted  upon  the 
bank.  Right  in  the  middle  of  the  car  the  whole 
side  was  smashed  out  by  the  projecting  mason  work 
of  a  culvert.  The  other  car  crashed  right  in  on 
top,  crushing  and  splintering  worse  than  ever. 

I  never  saw  such  a  mass  of  wreckage  as  that  car 


12  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

presented.  It  was  jammed  all  out  of  shape.  Great 
beams  and  fragments  were  scattered  around  in  a 
most  bewildering  way.  I  never  knew  before  that 
a  car  could  make  such  a  lot  of  wreckage. 

No  words  can  describe  the  scene.  It  was  all  so 
horribly  unreal.  The  screams  and  shrieks  of  those 
who  were  injured  dinned  upon  my  ears  like  cries 
from  hell.  To  add  to  the  horror,  from  some  un- 
known cause,  the  wreckage  was  already  catching 
fire.  The  wisps  of  smoke  and  the  little  darts  of 
flame  creeping  over  the  wreckage  only  added  to 
the  terror.  In  their  imagination  the  flames  were 
already  devouring  them.  They  yelled  and  screamed 
like  demons  in  the  agony  of  their  fear. 

Some  few,  however,  lay  still  and  white.  Some 
had  their  skulls  crushed;  others  were  mangled  in 
other  ways.  Death  or  unconsciousness  mercifully 
withheld  the  scene  from  them. 

Fortunately — and  I  have  always  been  more  for- 
tunate than  I  deserved — I  was  not  caught  beneath 
any  of  the  wreckage.  I  was  not  injured  in  any 
way  save  for  the  little  cut  I  had  received  from 
the  car  window. 

It  may  be  strange,  but  I  had  no  thought  for  any 
of  the  passengers  save  the  trio  of  foreigners.  At 
first,  in  the  confusion  of  the  wreckage,  I  could  not 
see  anything  of  them.  A  moment  later  I  caught 
sight  of  the  elder  of  the  two  men,  but  a  short  dis- 
tance away.  He  was  imprisoned  beneath  a  heavy 
beam,  it  seemed.  The  younger  man  was  close  by. 
He  did  not  seem  to  be  injured  in  any  way,  but  he 
was  thoroughly  frightened.  He  had  about  as  much 
stamina  as  a  wet  rag.  The  woman  was  also  there. 
Her  clothing  was  torn  and  disordered,  but  she  was 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  13 

apparently  not  much  hurt,  only  thoroughly  be- 
wildered. 

I  picked  my  way  over  the  masses  of  wreckage  to- 
ward her.  In  a  moment  I  was  at  her  side. 

"Can  I  be  of  any  assistance  to  you?"  I  asked. 

She  glanced  up  into  my  face. 

"My  father !"  she  exclaimed.    "Save  him !" 

"But  you?"  I  pursued.  "Won't  you  let  me  get 
you  out  first?" 

"No ;  I  will  not  go  till  my  father  goes." 

The  old  man  lay  on  his  back  with  a  heavy  beam 
pressing  upon  his  chest.  He  was  suffering  great 
pain,  but  he  bore  it  heroically.  No  groans  escaped 
his  lips. 

I  seized  hold  of  the  heavy  beam  and  lifted  with 
all  my  strength,  but  I  could  not  budge  it.  I  dug 
my  nails  into  the  wood  and  strained  till  my  head 
was  ready  to  burst.  The  beam  remained  immov- 
able. 

"Try  the  other  end,"  the  old  man  said  encourag- 
ingly. 

I  tried  the  other  end,  but  with  no  better  success. 
Glancing  at  the  younger  man,  I  saw  him  regarding 
my  futile  efforts  with  something  like  a  diabolical 
leer.  The  car  was  rapidly  filling  with  smoke  and  it 
distorted  the  vision,  so  that  I  may  have  been  mis- 
taken. The  woman  was  standing  by  him,  trembling 
like  a  leaf. 

"Come  and  help  me!"  I  exclaimed  to  the  fellow. 
To  me  it  seemed  strange  that  he  had  not  offered 
his  help  before. 

"Certainly  I  will,"  he  exclaimed,  starting  as  a 
man  awakened  from  sleep. 

He  was  quite  ready  now  to  do  anything  that  I 


14  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

suggested,  but  it  seemed  to  me  that  he  put  very 
little  enthusiasm  in  his  work.  He  was  weak  from 
his  late  experience,  and  I  suppose  he  did  the  best 
he  could.  The  woman  never  ceased  urging  us  to 
persevere  with  the  work. 

Most  of  the  passengers  had  managed  to  get  out 
of  the  car.  Only  two  or  three  still  remained  and 
they  were  crawling  to  the  doorway.  Still  we  worked 
on.  The  car  was  so  full  of  smoke  that  we  could 
hardly  breathe.  The  little  red  tongues  of  flame 
kept  creeping  nearer  and  nearer.  The  old  man 
was  still  possessed  of  his  senses,  but  he  never  ut- 
tered a  groan  or  a  complaint. 

After  a  while  the  young  man  threw  his  hands 
to  his  face  and  staggered  back,  overcome  by  the 
smoke. 

"There's  no  use  trying  any  longer,"  he  said. 

"We  mustn't  give  up  yet,"  I  returned. 

"We  might  as  well.    We  can't  do  anything." 

"Oh,  don't  give  up,"  cried  the  woman,  with  her 
hands  clasped  in  supplication.  "For  heaven's  sake, 
save  my  father !  O,  save  him !  Don't  let  him  perish 
here !" 

"Don't  leave  me,"  pleaded  the  old  man.  "Don't 
leave  me  to  die  here.  Try  once  more.  Just  once 
inore." 

"It's  no  use,"  growled  the  young  man.  "We 
can't  move  that  beam.  We  must  go.  If  we  stay 
in  here  any  longer  we  will  lose  our  own  lives." 

I  hesitated.  What  the  young  man  said  was  true. 
But  to  leave  a  man  to  die  thus — that  was  horrible. 
Then,  too,  the  woman  cast  me  a  look  of  mute  appeal 
that  would  have  melted  a  heart  of  stone. 

"Come,  let's  get  out  of  here  before  it's  too  late/' 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  15 

the  young  fellow  said.  He  took  the  woman's  arm 
to  lead  her  away. 

"No,"  she  cried  angrily,  breaking  away  from  him. 
"I  won't  go  till  my  father  goes." 

"You  had  better  go,  Carmencita,"  said  the  old 
man  weakly. 

"Oh,  father,  I  can't  go  away  and  leave  you  here," 
she  said,  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

The  young  man  muttered  a  malediction  under 
his  breath.  He  took  her  arm  again  and  tried  to 
lead  her  away.  With  a  cry  of  anger  she  endeavored 
to  break  away  from  him,  but  could  not.  He  took 
her  up  in  his  arms,  displaying  sudden  strength  in 
so  doing,  and  started  toward  the  doorway. 

"Come  on,"  he  called  back  to  me.  "We've  done 
all  that  we  can  do.  You  won't  get  out  of  this  in- 
fernal place  at  all  if  you  don't  come  now." 

I  hesitated. 

"Oh,  save  my  father !"  exclaimed  the  girl.  "Save 
him !" 

I  could  not  resist  that  appeal. 

"Are  you  coming?"  asked  the  young  man. 

"No,"  I  returned  rather  shortly.  "I'm  going  to 
get  this  man  out  of  this." 

"Thank  God!"  exclaimed  the  woman  fervently. 

"You'd  better  come  now7,"  the  fellow  said. 

"Don't  you  trouble  yourself  about  me." 

The  car  was  full  of  dense  blue  smoke.  The  fire 
had  gained  considerable  headway,  and  it  was  fear- 
fully hot.  My  eyes  were  like  hot  coals  and  my 
lungs  like  ovens.  I  decided  to  try  a  last  plan.  A 
piece  of  the  heavy  railing  that  ran  along  the  side 
of  the  car  had  been  splintered  off.  Seizing  hold 
of  this  I  managed  to  break  off  a  fragment  several 


1C  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

feet  long.  The  wood  was  tough  and  it  would  make 
an  excellent  lever. 

The  old  man  was  unconscious  now.  I  was  thank- 
ful for  this.  If  I  had  to  desert  him,  it  would  not  be 
before  his  eyes.  The  smoke  was  choking  me.  I 
would  not  be  able  to  stay  in  the  car  much  longer 
without  myself  succumbing.  I  inserted  the  lever 
beneath  the  heavy  beam  and  lifted  with  all  my 
strength.  I  was  working  almost  without  hope. 
The  infernal  smoke  was  suffocating  me.  The  heat 
raised  blisters  on  my  hands.  I  put  all  my  strength 
in  a  last  effort.  It  was  now  or  never. 

At  first  the  beam  remained  immovable.  I  strained 
every  muscle  in  a  last  effort.  It  budged  a  little. 
My  heart  beat  eagerly.  I  got  a  new  purchase  and 
again  strained  every  muscle.  It  moved  easier  now 
that  it  was  started.  In  a  few  minutes  I  had  the 
beam  moved  so  as  to  enable  me  to  drag  the  old  man 
out  from  beneath  it.  He  was  totally  unconscious 
and  remained  a  helpless  burden  in  my  arms. 

My  eyes  were  so  blinded  by  the  dense  smoke  that 
I  could  hardly  see.  Moreover,  I  was  suffocating 
for  want  of  fresh,  air.  Dragging  the  old  man  along 
after  me,  I  stumbled  over  the  wreckage  toward  the 
end  of  the  car.  I  thought  I  would  never  reach  it. 
My  eyes  were  throbbing,  and  my  brain  whirling. 

At  last  I  stumbled  and  fell  beneath  the  load. 
To  my  surprise  and  joy  the  smoke  was  not  so  dense 
near  the  floor.  With  my  face  close  to  the  floor  I 
crawled  on.  The  smoke  was  getting  thicker  and 
thicker.  I  could  hear  the  hissing  and  crackling  of 
the  flames  behind  me.  It  seemed  that  they  were  at 
my  very  heels.  On,  on,  I  crawled,  miles,  it  seemed. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  17 

At  last  I  reached  the  door.  I  crawled  weakly 
through,  dragging  the  body  of  the  unconscious  man 
after  me.  There  was  air  for  me  to  breathe  now. 
1  drew  it  into  my  heated  lungs.  It  was  like  nectar. 
I  was  free  from  that  infernal  hell  at  last. 


18  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER   II. 

A  MAN  AMONG  MEN. 

I  was  still  weak  and  dizzy;  everything  seemed 
to  be  whirling  about  me.  I  caught  sight  of  the 
woman,  and  heard  her  little  scream  of  joy  as  she 
ran  toward  me.  Then  some  one  relieved  me  of  my 
burden.  That  is  about  as  much  as  I  remember  of 
the  next  few  minutes.  I  did  not  faint,  but  I  was 
utterly  exhausted. 

The  wave  of  exhaustion  quickly  passed  off.  In 
a  few  minutes  I  felt  pretty  well,  except  for  a  violent 
headache  and  the  pain  from  the  cut  on  my  head. 
The  woman  and  the  young  man  were  trying  to  re- 
store the  old  man  to  consciousness.  Their  efforts 
were  soon  rewarded  and  he  opened  his  eyes. 

The  wreckage  was  now  all  enveloped  in  flame  and 
smoke.  The  scene  was  touching.  What  but  an  hour 
before  had  been  a  splendid  train  was  now  only  a 
smoking  mass  of  ruins.  The  passengers,  those  of 
them  who  were  able,  were  congregated  around  in 
little  groups,  attending  to  the  wounded  and  watch- 
ing the  burning  debris.  The  wrecking  crew  had 
not  arrived  yet. 

In  tremulous  tones  the  old  man  thanked  me  over 
and  over  for  having  saved  his  life,  as  he  said,  at 
the  risk  of  my  own.  He  said  I  should  never  have 
cause  to  regret  my  act. 

I  learned  that  he  was  Sefior  Rafael  Parainonte, 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  19 

a  Peruvian  visiting  the  United  States  for  business 
and  pleasure.  The  younger  man  was  Seiior  Juan 
Satander,  a  friend  of  his.  As  he  said  this  I  thought 
he  glanced  a  little  hard  at  Satander.  The  woman 
was  his  daughter,  Carinencita. 

Carinencita!  I  caught  myself  repeating  the 
name  to  myself  and  reflecting  what  a  sweet  sound- 
ing name  it  was.  As  for  the  sefiorita  herself,  she 
was  certainly  charming.  She  bandaged  my  wounded 
head  in  a  most  skillful  manner.  She  spoke  to  me 
in  English  with  a  most  delightful,  soft  accent. 

We  had  a  long  and  dreary  wait  there  on  the  open 
prairie;  but,  for  my  part,  I  enjoyed  it.  Carmencita 
devoted  herself  to  me,  although  the  fellow  Satander 
was  evidently  displeased.  Once  our  eyes  met  sud- 
denly, and  a  little  frightened  look  came  over  her 
face  as  she  noticed  the  intensity  of  my  gaze.  She 
flushed  suddenly,  as  if  by  some  sudden  remem- 
brance. A  look  of  guilt  which  I  could  not  under- 
stand crossed  her  face.  She  became  more  reserved 
and  cold  in  her  conversation.  I  was  puzzled  what 
to  make  of  this  sudden  change. 

After  several  dreary  hours  of  waiting,  a  train 
backed  up  from  the  west,  and  wre  were  at  liberty 
to  resume  our  journey.  A  great  deal  of  time  was 
consumed  in  bringing  the  injured  into  the  cars, 
and  an  hour  or  two  more  elapsed  before  we  finally 
got  started. 

But  at  last  we  were  comfortably  installed  in  our 
seats  and  the  train  was  rolling  away  westward. 
Only  a  few  passengers  were  in  the  car,  but  the  few 
were  a  motley  lot.  Here  was  a  man  with  an  arm 
in  a  sling;  there  one  with  a  crushed  foot;  yonder 
one  with  a  bandaged  head;  and  so  on. 


20  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

For  some  reason  Sefior  Paramonte  was  greatly 
interested  in  me,  and  he  questioned  me  closely. 

"You  have  the  appearance  of  a  soldier,  Sefior 
Garnack,"  he  said  finally.  "Is  soldiering  your  pro- 
fession?" 

"It's  the  only  profession  I  have  ever  followed," 
I  replied. 

"Are  you  in  the  service  now?"  he  asked,  his 
voice  betraying  his  eagerness. 

"No,  I'm  not  in  any  service  now.  I've  got  enough 
money  to  keep  my  head  above  water,  so  I  don't 
have  to  tie  myself  down  to  anything.  I'm  about 
what  you  call  an  adventurer,  a  soldier  of  fortune. 
I'm  ready  to  take  hold  of  anything  that  promises 
a  little  excitement." 

Senor  Paramonte  regarded  the  back  of  the  seat 
in  front  thoughtfully.  He  was  cogitating  some 
plan. 

"You  are  a  soldier,"  he  repeated  slowly. 

"I've  been  in  service  off  and  on  ever  since  I  was 
seventeen." 

"What  country?" 

"Turkey  and  Japan  principally/' 

"You  can  drill  a  company?" 

"I  have  done  it.    I  suppose  I  could  do  it  again." 

"Quite  so,  quite  so." 

I  was  silent. 

"How  would  you  like  to  see  some  active  ser- 
vice?" 

"In  a  foreign  army?" 

"Yes,  in  a  foreign  army." 

"I'd  like  it  if  there's  a  chance  of  seeing  some 
fighting  done.  Nothing  could  suit  me  better." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  21 

"I  think  I  can  supply  you  with  all  the  excitement 
you  want." 

"In  what  army  is  this  service  you  speak  of  to  be 
—that  of  Peru?" 

lie  glanced  at  me  keenly. 

"I  suppose  I  can  trust  you  in  a  matter  that  I 
want  kept  secret?"  he  said. 

I  began  to  understand.  Paramonte  was  a  revo- 
lutionist. 

"I  give  you  my  word  of  honor  as  a  soldier  that 
nothing  you  tell  me  shall  pass  my  lips  unless  you 
desire  it." 

uMy  country,  Peru,"  he  began,  speaking  in  low 
but  earnest  tones,  "is  in  a  very  unsettled  state. 
Doubtless  you  know  this.  The  people  are  restless. 
They  are  accustomed  to  fly  to  arms  on  the  slightest 
provocation.  This  retards  the  development  of  the 
country.  If  a  stable  government  could  be  estab- 
lished in  Peru,  all  this  would  be  changed.  Pros- 
perity would  follow.  Do  you  begin  to  understand?'* 

"I  think  I  do.  You  mean  to  overthrow  the  pres- 
ent government  and  make  yourself  president." 

Sefior  Paramonte  fixed  his  eyes  upon  me. 

"Not  exactly  that,"  he  said.  "The  Peruvians 
have  not  yet  learned  the  secret  of  self-government. 
A  republic  is  not  best  for  them.  They  abuse  their 
privileges.  They  need  rather  a  highly  centralized 
form  of  monarchial  government.  I  mean  to  make 
an  empire  of  Peru  and  place  myself  upon  the 
throne.  I  will  encourage  all  forms  of  industry.  I 
will  raise  a  great  army  and  build  a  navy  equal  to 
any  South  American  State.  My  army  will  first  be 
turned  upon  Chile.  In  1881  the  Chileans  humbled 
us  to  the  dust.  They  overran  our  territory;  they 


22  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

sacked  our  cities;  they  tore  away  our  provinces. 
Our  revenge  will  be  sure  and  it  will  be  terrible. 
We  will  fight  half  a  dozen  battles  and  we  will  win 
them  all.  They  will  sue  for  peace.  I  will  grant 
peace,  but  it  will  cost  them  dear.  I  will  take  back 
everything  that  we  ever  lost,  and  they  will  pay 
an  indemnity  sufficient  to  cover  the  cost  of  the 
war.  Then  I  will  turn  on  Bolivia.  Bolivia  is 
already  Peruvian  at  heart.  The  resistance  will  be 
feeble.  After  one  or  two  small  battles  we  will 
plant  the  flag  of  Peru  at  La  Paz.  It  will  never 
come  down. 

"Glory  is  what  a  people  want.  A  nation  lives  on 
its  glory.  My  armies  will  be  covered  with  glory. 
I  will  make  Peru  mistress  of  the  southern  conti- 
nent. Ecuador  is  but  a  name.  No  resistance  will 
be  made  there.  I  will  find  a  pretext  for  war  against 
Colombia.  I  will  put  the  Ecuadorians  and  Bolivi- 
ans in  the  front.  They  will  win  glory.  That  will 
veneer  over  any  hurt  that  they  may  feel.  They 
will  be  willing  subjects.  Then  I  will  allow  a  period 
of  rest.  I  will  build  railroads  and  develop  Peru 
internally.  Her  wealth  will  astonish  the  world. 
My  power  will  increase  all  the  time.  I  will  annoy 
Argentina  in  every  way  possible.  She  will  join 
Chile  and  they  will  declare  war.  I  will  appear  on 
the  defensive.  My  navy  will  be  great  then.  There 
will  be  a  great  naval  battle,  and  then  we  will  bom- 
bard Valparaiso.  Valparaiso  will  fall.  An  army 
will  follow  the  fleet.  We  will  overrun  Chile,  and 
crush  her  completely. 

"At  the  same  time  I  will  send  an  army  of  fifty 
thousand  men  down  the  Pilcomayo.  The  Paraguay- 
ans hate  the  Argentines.  They  will  join  me  and 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  23 

furnish  twenty  thousand  men.  A  great  battle  will 
be  fought  near  Corrientes.  The  Argentines  will 
be  routed.  There  will  be  no  more  resistance  until 
we  reach  Rosario.  We  will  capture  the  city  after 
one  battle.  Another  expedition  will  be  sent  down 
the  Argentine  Central  Railway.  They  will  hold 
it,  and  we  will  make  it  our  line  of  supplies.  We 
will  march  upon  Buenos  Ayres.  When  my  armies 
appear  the  city  will  be  panic  stricken.  They  will 
sue  for  peace.  I  will  grant  them  peace,  but  make 
them  pay  a  heavy  money  indemnity  and  give  up 
much  of  their  territory. 

"I  will  cross  into  Uruguay  and  plant  the  flag  of 
Peru  upon  the  capital  at  Montevideo.  Then  I  will 
turn  upon  Brazil.  A  great  war  will  follow.  Doubt- 
less we  will  lose  some  battles,  for  they  will  out- 
number us.  But  our  veterans  will  win  in  the  end. 
Peru  will  be  a  mighty  nation,  and  I  will  be  her 
ruler.  I  will  be  dictator  to  all  South  America." 

I  listened  spellbound  while  the  old  Peruvian 
spoke  so  glowingly  of  the  brilliant  future  in  store 
for  him  and  Peru.  He  spoke  swiftly,  his  eye 
flashed,  and  his  whole  frame  quivered  beneath  the 
power  of  his  conceptions.  His  hand  was  clenched 
as  if  it  already  grasped  a  sword  hilt.  He  was  every 
inch  a  soldier  then.  I  had  but  to  close  my  eyes  and 
I  beheld  him  at  the  head  of  his  victorious  hosts 
while  all  South  America  bowed  before  him. 

"But,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "there 
are  many  things  that  must  be  accomplished  before 
this  can  be  so.  I  must  first  be  established  emperor 
in  Peru.  The  time  is  ripe.  The  people  of  the 
South  are  already  incensed  against  the  present 
government.  The  taxes  are  high  and  the  bigger 


24  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

part  of  them  go  to  the  collectors'  pockets.  There 
is  no  glory  to  veneer  over  this.  The  army  is  in 
a  wretched  state.  There  is  no  navy.  We  will  land 
a  shipload  of  military  supplies  in  the  south.  Our 
real  project — to  create  an  empire — must  remain 
secret  for  a  while  at  least.  We  will  arm  the  dis- 
affected people.  They  will  overthrow  the  govern- 
ment. We  will  march  to  Lima.  I  will  be  made 
president  first.  I  will  create  an  army  that  will  re- 
main loyal  to  me  under  any  circumstances.  Then 
I  will  proclaim  the  empire.  There  will  be  an  up- 
rising, but  my  army  will  put  it  down  with  a  strong 
hand.  An  empire  will  be  new  to  the  people.  They 
will  be  dazzled  and  they  will  submit.  All  we  want 
now  is  secrecy — secrecy  and  men  who  can  turn  the 
untrained  rabble  into  fighting  machines,  and  lead 
them  to  victory  afterward.  That's  what  I  want 
with  you.  You  will  rise  swiftly.  We  have  few 
trained  officers.  In  a  few  years  you  will  be  the 
first  of  my  generals,  and — who  knows — if  you  serve 
me  faithfully,  I  may  see  fit  to  place  you  upon  the 
throne  of  one  of  the  empires  I  shall  create  of  the 
countries  I  conquer." 

It  was  indeed  a  dazzling  prospect  that  his  words 
opened  before  me.  To  don  a  uniform  once  more; 
to  become  a  leader  of  men ;  to  ride  at  the  head  of  his 
victorious  armies  as  they  swept  through  the  moun- 
tains and  over  the  pampas  of  South  America ;  per- 
haps, even  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  an  empire! 
I  did  not  ask  myself  what  would  happen  should 
his  ambitious  plans  fail.  I  saw  only  the  glorious 
possibilities  of  the  career  he  laid  before  me.  The 
sight  dazzled  me. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  25 

'•Most  willingly  will  I  serve  you,"  I  said  without 
a  moment's  hesitation. 

"You  are  a  brave  man,  I  know,  and  you  shall  be 
a  great  one,"  he  returned,  grasping  my  hand. 

Of  the  rest  of  our  journey  to  San  Francisco  there 
is  little  to  be  said.  I  learned  that  Paramonte  had 
purchased  a  large  supply  of  rifles  and  military  sup- 
plies; they  were  to  be  shipped  on  a  steamer  which 
he  had  chartered.  This  steamer  was  not  at  San 
Francisco.  After  having  placed  his  order  he  had 
crossed  to  England.  His  daughter  Carmencita 
had  been  there,  staying  with  some  relatives.  She 
had  decided  to  return  with  him  to  Peru. 

I  asked  him  if  he  didn't  think  it  would  be  dan- 
gerous for  Carmencita  to  be  in  Peru  while  her 
father  was  engaged  in  a  rebellion  against  the  gov- 
ernment. He  only  smiled  and  said  he  didn't  sup- 
pose there  would  be  much  danger.  I  really  believe 
he  was  so  confident  of  success  that  he  never  once 
thought  of  what  the  consequences  were  should  his 
plans  fail. 

Satander  occupied  most  of  Carmencita's  time, 
although  she  did  not  seem  to  like  him  over  much. 
I  hardly  spoke  to  her  during  the  entire  journey. 
When  I  did  Satander  glared  at  me  like  a  hungry 
tiger.  I  knew  that  I  had  made  an  enemy  of  the 
man,  but  I  could  not  tell  how.  And  I  may  add  that 
I  did  not  care.  Carmencita  herself  seemed  to  want 
to  avoid  me.  Still  I  could  scarcely  take  my  eyes 
off  her  pretty  face,  and  one  sad  little  smile  that 
she  bestowed  upon  me  set  my  heart  behaving 
strangely.  I  knew  that  I  had  never  seen  a  woman 
who  attracted  me  as  she  did. 

We  arrived  in  San  Francisco  late  in  the  evening. 


26  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Wo  registered  at  the  Occidental  Hotel.  I  was  sleepy 
and  I  immediately  went  to  my  room  and  retired. 
The  next  morning  I  got  up  rather  late.  I  wanted  to 
see  Sefior  Paramonte,  but  he  was  out  in  the  city 
attending  to  some  business. 

My  room  was  directly  opposite  the  suite  occu- 
pied by  Sefior  Paramonte  and  his  daughter.  I  was 
smoking  idly.  My  door  was  standing  half  open. 
Directly  I  glanced  up  and  saw  a  man  coming,  along 
the  corridor.  I  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  him, 
supposing  that  he  had  a  room  on  the  same  floor. 
He  went  straight  to  Paramonte's  door  and  knocked. 
This  aroused  my  interest  at  once.  The  man  was 
connected  with  Paramonte,  and  therefore  he  was 
connected  with  me. 

Paramonte  was  out,  I  knew  that.  The  door 
was  opened  by  Carmencita  herself.  When  she  saw 
the  man  she  stepped  back  and  started  as  if  greatly 
surprised. 

"You  here !"  she  exclaimed. 

The  man  smiled  good  humoredly. 

"Me  or  my  ghost,"  he  said. 

"But  how — what  are  you  doing  here?  I  thought 
you  were  still  in  Peru." 

"Couldn't  stay  there  after  you  left.  Came  home 
a  month  ago.  Goin'  back  though  now." 

A  shadow  of  irritation  passed  over  Carmencita's 
face. 

"Where  will  you  be?"  she  asked. 

The  fellow-  smiled. 

"I'm  on  the  high  road  to  fortune  and  favor,"  he 
said. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I've  seen  your  father  and  I'm  goin'  to  join  him 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  21 

in  his  rebellion.  I'll  stay  with  him  long  enough  to 

prove  my  worth,  if  I've  got  any,  and  then "  He 

bent  over  and  whispered  in  her  ear  a  few  words 
that  sent  the  blood  tingling  over  her  cheeks. 

"Does  he  know  you?" 

The  man  shook  his  head  and  whispered  some- 
thing that  I  could  not  catch. 

"You  must  be  very  careful,"  she  said,  abstracted- 
ly. "If  he  were  to  discover  your  real  identity  he 
would  kill  you." 

"No  danger,"  the  man  said  with  a  laugh. 

"What  makes  you  seem  so  cold,  Carmencita?" 
he  asked  suddenly.  "Has  any  one  come  between 
us?" 

"How  could  you  think  it?"  she  said  reproachful- 
ly. "But  here  comes  father.  You  must  get  away. 
Don't  let  him  see  you." 

The  fellow  hurried  away. 

So  this  was  a  lover  of  Carmencita's !  Lover !  The 
thought  did  not  have  a  soothing  effect  upon  my 
mind.  Carmencita's  lover;  I  felt  that  I  wanted  to 
go  out  and  shoot  that  big  fellow.  I  was  jealous, 
madly  jealous,  on  account  of  a  woman  I  had  not 
known  twenty-four  hours.  I  tried  to  fight  the 
feeling  down,  but  it  boiled  up  all  the  more  fiercely. 
I  was  in  love  and  I  was  jealous.  I  tried  to  scoff 
at  the  idea,  but  it  would  not  be  scoffed  at.  I  wanted 
to  do  something  rash. 

Paramonte  came  to  my  room  before  he  went  to 
his  own  apartments.  He  was  in  the  very  best  of 
spirits.  I  never  saw  an  old  man  appear  so  young 
and  happy.  He  was  fairly  bubbling  over  with 
good  humor.  He  wanted  to  talk  to  me,  he  said, 
and  asked  me  to  go  to  his  room. 


28  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Satander  was  with  Seiior  Paramonte,  but  be  did 
not  enter  with  him,  passing  toward  his  own  room 
instead. 

"I  haven't  decided  where  we  will  land,"  Para- 
monte  was  saying  to  him  as  they  parted.  "I  can't 
well  decide  till  I  see  some  of  the  officers  who  can 
tell  me  how  things  are  going.  I'll  find  some  way  to 
let  Captain  James  know  where  to  land  after  we  get 
to  Peru.  Our  boat  will  make  it  lots  faster  than  the 
Sally  J.  As  for  that  man  you  spoke  of,  you  can 
see  Captain  James  about  him.  If  he  wants  him,  I 
suppose  it's  all  right." 

"Very  well." 

Paramonte  and  I  entered  the  room  together. 
Carniencita  was  seated  at  the  opposite  side  of  the 
room,  staring  hard  at  the  window.  There  was  a 
troubled  expression  on  her  face.  She  glanced  up 
as  we  entered  and  her  eyes  fell  as  she  recognized 
me. 

"Everything  Is  working  to  perfection,"  Para- 
monte said,  genially.  "In  fact,  things  couldn't 
be  in  better  shape.  Captain  James — he's  the 
skipper,  you  know — got  his  whole  cargo  without 
exciting  any  suspicion.  I  knew  he  could  manage 
it.  How  do  you  want  to  go  to  Peru?  Carniencita, 
Satander  and  myself  are  going  to  Callao  on  the 
fetate  of  Nevada,  which  sails  to-morrow.  It  would 
appear  more  regular,  you  see.  There's  an  Amer- 
ican chap  though  going  on  the  Sally  J.,  a  fellow 
named  Whitman."  I  glanced  at  Carniencita.  She 
was  blushing.  I  guessed  that  this  was  her  lover. 
"Which  steamer  do  you  want  to  go  on?  You  can 
go  with  us  or  on  the  Sally,  just  as  you  like." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  29 

I  glanced  at  Carmencita.  If  I  went  with  Para- 
monte,  I  reflected,  I  would  have  the  pleasure  of  her 
society.  Paramonte  noticed  my  glance,  and  he 
looked  pleased. 

"I  guess  you  will  want  to  go  with  us,"  said  he 
with  a  smile.  "It  would  please  me  I " 

Just  at  this  moment  a  bell  boy  appeared.  He 
said  that  there  was  a  gentleman  down  in  the  office 
who  wanted  to  speak  with  Seiior  Paramonte. 

"It  must  be  Captain  James,"  he  said.  He  ex- 
cused himself  and  followed  the  boy.  I  rose  to  take 
my  leave  also. 

Carmencita  stepped  toward  me.  Her  face  was 
pale  and  troubled.  She  glanced  up  at  me  implor- 
ingly. 

"Senor  Garnack,"  she  said,  struggling  to  appear 
calm,  "don't  go  on  the  steamer  with  us." 

"Why — that  is —  ''  I  stammered  in  surprise, 

"You  won't,  will  you?" 

"But  why,  senorita?"!  asked,  glancing  into  her 
eyes. 

"Because,  seiior,  because  I — oh,  I  can't  tell  my 
reasons.  But,  Seiior  Garnack,  I — if  you  have  any 
respect  for  my  feelings,  you  won't  come." 

"Very  well,  senorita,  if  you  wish  it,  I  will  go  on 
the  other  steamer,"  I  returned  rather  coldly. 

"Please  don't  think  hard  of  me,"  she  said  broken- 
ly, "but  I — I — oh,  I  can't  explain  to  you." 

She  left  the  room,  leaving  me  standing  there 
thoroughly  bewildered  and  staring  after  her  like  a 
fool.  I  was  in  a  quandary  as  to  what  her  motive 
might  be.  I  thought  she  might  want  to  be  with  her 
other  lover,  the  fellow  I  had  seen;  but  he  was  go- 
ing on  the  Sally  J.  I  was  puzzled. 


30  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

However,  when  I  met  Seiior  Paramonte  again 
I  told  him  that  I  had  decided  to  go  on  the  Sally 
J.  He  was  surprised,  and  looked  at  me  strangely 
for  a  moment.  Then  he  passed  on,  remarking  that 
it  was  probably  for  the  best. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  31 


CHAPTER    III. 

ON  BOARD  THE  SALLY  J. 

I  gathered  up  my  small  possessions  and  sent 
them  off  to  the  wharf,  where  the  Sally  J.  lay. 
After  taking  a  farewell  of  Senor  Paramonte  I 
followed  myself.  I  had  hoped  to  see  Carmencita 
once  more,  but  in  this  I  was  disappointed.  I  went 
away  feeling  rather  depressed  in  the  region  of  my 
heart. 

In  a  few  minutes  I  was  rambling  about  the 
wharves  watching  the  ships  loading  their  cargoes, 
bound  for  every  quarter  of  the  globe.  I  was  in 
no  hurry  and  proceeded  along  leisurely.  All  the 
time  I  was  trying  to  think  of  some  satisfactory 
reason  why  Carmencita  Paramon,te  did  not  wish 
me  to  take  passage  on  the  steamer  with  her.  I  was 
sure  that  the  man  I  took  for  her  lover  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  it,  but  how?  He  was  going  to  be 
on  the  Sally  J.,  I  was  sure.  Then  it  could  not  be 
that  she  wanted  to  be  with  him.  Perhaps  for  some 
reason  she  wished  to  throw  us  together, "but  what 
her  reason  for  that  was  I  could  not  imagine.  I 
was  puzzled.  At  the  same  time  I  was  madly  jealous 
of  the  fellow. 

Meditating  thus,  I  came  up  to  where  the  Sally  J. 
lay.  Satander  was  there  talking  to  a  man  whom 
I  took  for  the  Sally  J.'s  skipper.  Satander  seemed 
to  be  urging  something  upon  him,  and  the  old 
skipper  was  protesting  in  most  vigorous  language. 


32  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"I  tell  you  I  don't  want  none  of  your  damned 
dagoes  on  my  ship,"  the  skipper  was  saying,  "an' 
I  won't  have  enny  of  'em.  I  don't  give  a  damn 
what  Satander  said.  I'm  runnin'  the  Sally  J.,  an* 
I'm  goin'  to  run  her  my  own  way.  Don't  you  sass 
me  back,  or  I'll  kick  you  overboard." 

"Oh,  very  well,  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  respect  your 
wishes,"  said  Satander  with  a  sneering  smile. 

With  this  he  left  the  ship.  We  met  on  the  gang- 
way. He  bowed  effusively  to  me,  so  effusively,  in 
fact,  that  I  was  tempted  to  take  him  by  the  shoul- 
ders and  kick  him  soundly.  I  detested  the  fellow. 
The  feeling  was  reciprocated. 

Angrily  I  turned  my  head  and  watched  Satander 
as  he  hurried  away.  As  he  was  passing  along  by  a 
crowd  of  quarreling,  half-drunken  sailors,  one  of 
them,  a  dark-skinned  fellow,  accosted  him.  The 
sailor  asked  him  some  question,  at  the  same  time 
indicating  the  Sally  J.  by  a  gesture. 

Satander  nodded  and  hurriedly  spoke  a  sen- 
tence or  two  to  the  fellow,  who  immediately  re- 
joined the  group  of  drunken  quarrelers.  Satander 
hurried  on.  Once  he  glanced  behind  him,  I  thought, 
to  ascertain  if  any  one  had  noticed  the  little  passage 
with  the  sailor.  I  wondered  what  business  a  gen- 
tleman, such  as  Satander  very  evidently  was,  could 
have  with  a  common  sailor.  A  suspicion  that  Sa- 
tander was  up  to  some  dirty  work  crossed  my  mind, 
but  I  instantly  dismissed  it. 

I  was  warmly  welcomed  by  Captain  James,  the 
skipper.  He  was  a  tall,  gaunt,  hollow-cheeked 
Yankee,  with  "sailor  man"  written  all  over  him. 
A  great  quid  of  tobacco  always  distended  his  leath- 
ery jaw.  His  jerky  conversation  was  seasoned  by 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  33 

the  most  ferocious  oaths,  and  punctuated  with 
squirts  of  tobacco  juice.  His  lanky,  bony  form 
was  well  knit,  and  he  was  just  such  a  man  as  one 
would  not  care  to  meet  in  personal  encounter. 

"There's  somethin'  wrong  with  that  feller,"  he 
said,  gazing  after  Satander.  "The  damned  land 
lubber  thought  he  could  run  me.  Wanted  to  get 
one  of  his  infernal  old  dagoes  in  my  crew.  I'd  see 
him  in  hell  before  I'd  let  his  man  on  board." 

"When  do  we  sail  ?"  I  asked. 

"We'll  get  out  termorrow.  I'll  have  to  leave 
you  now  for  a  while,  anyhow.  Got  to  go  an'  get 
some  more  grub.  Didn't  know  we  wuz  goin'  to 
have  passengers  this  trip,  till  old  Paramonte  come 
an'  told  me  this  mornin'.  Don't  want  to  feed  ye 
on  pork  an'  hardtack.  But  jest  make  yeself  to 
home.  Most  o'  the  crew  is  on  shore.  The  rest  are 
down  below  sleepin'.  Don't  you  worry.  If  that 
feller  Whitman  comes  before  I  gets  back  tell  him 
where  I've  gone." 

The  big-hearted  old  sea  dog  lumbered  off,  rolling 
like  a  ship  in  a  storm.  Left  to  myself  I  examined 
the  Sally  J.  more  closely  than  I  had  done  before. 
The  only  sign  of  life  about  her  was  a  most  unmelod- 
ious  refrain  sung  by  the  Chinese  cook  somewhere 
below  deck. 

The  Sally  J.  was  a  small  tramp  steamer,  so 
small  in  fact  that  she  was  little  more  than  a  tug. 
There  was  nothing  very  attractive  about  her.  She 
had  been  painted  some  dark  color  long  years  be- 
fore, but  what  that  color  was  could  scarcely  be  told. 
Her  deck  was  dirty,  and  there  was  the  same  un- 
certain odors  about  her  that  may  be  found  about 


34  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

any  tramp.  Her  one  funnel  was  battered  and 
rusty. 

I  sat  down  near  the  wheel  and  began  thinking 
anew  the  thoughts  that  I  had  been  thinking  for  the 
last  few  hours.  What  was  the  meaning  of  Car- 
mencita's  conduct?  I  arrived  at  no  better  conclu- 
sion than  the  unsatisfactory  ones  that  had  already 
presented  themselves.  I  wished  now  that  I  had 
made  Carmencita  explain  the  matter  when  I  had 
the  chance. 

The  Sally  J.'s  wharf  was  rather  remote  from 
the  busiest  portion  of  the  water  front.  The  only 
sounds  of  activity  came  from  afar.  The  Chinese 
cook  had  ceased  his  singing,  and  the  Sally  J.  was 
still  as  the  ocean  itself.  Consequently  I  was  a  lit- 
tle startled  when  I  heard  a  heavy  tread  upon  the 
deck  behind  me.  I  turned  to  see  who  the  new- 
comer might  be. 

At  first  glance  I  recognized  the  newcomer.  It 
was  Carmencita's  lover.  I  had  expected  him  on 
the  Sally  J.,  but  I  was  surprised  at  his  appear- 
ance. 

The  man  was  considerably  over  medium  size.  His 
figure  was  strong  and  burly,  though  well  propor- 
tioned. I  did  not  think  he  was  of  tropical  birth, 
yet  the  manner  in  which  he  carried  his  body  pro- 
claimed him  a  citizen  of  a  warmer  clime.  His  fea- 
tures were  blunt  and  strong,  though  rather  irregu- 
lar. A  smile  played  about  his  lips,  and  there  was  a 
twinkle  in  his  eye.  His  appearance  was  that  of  a 
Muff,  big-hearted  man.  He  was  careless  and  free 
in  the  manner  of  his  dress  and  in  his  speech. 

"Captain  James  on  board?"  he  asked  in  his  blunt 
manner. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  35 

"He  is  not  on  board  just  now,"  I  replied.  "He's 
out  buying  provisions.  He  will  be  back  soon, 
though." 

"Sorry.    Reckon  I'll  have  to  wait." 

"He'll  be  back  before  long.  Your  name  is 
AVhitman,  I  believe?" 

The  newcomer  started  perceptibly  and  glanced 
at  me. 

"Yes,  that's  my  name,"  he  said  hesitatingly. 

I  was  sure  from  his  confusion  and  what  I  had 
heard  at  the  hotel  that  this  was  not  his  real  name, 
but  I  did  not  choose  to  make  this  known  to  him. 

"I  heard  Sefior  Paramonte  speak  of  you.  That's 
how  I  came  to  know  your  name." 

Whitman  was  relieved. 

"You  are  in  the  service  of  Sefior  Paramonte,  I 
suppose?"  I  continued. 

Whitman  laughed  uneasily.  I  did  not  like  the 
sound. 

"Yes,"  he  said  slowly,  "I  mean  to  fight  for  Para- 
monte when  I  get  to  Peru.  'Tain't  the  love  of 
fightin',  though,  that  takes  me  there.  I'm  not  much 
of  a  fighter  myself." 

"Perhaps  it's  the  love  of  a  woman  that  takes 
you  then?"  I  said.  I  gave  a  forced  laugh  as  I  said 
this,  but  at  the  same  time  I  could  hardly  restrain 
my  jealous  wrath. 

He  glanced  at  me  angrily,  and  was  greatly  con- 
fused. 

"There's  no  woman  in  it."  he  returned  hastily. 

I  smiled  an  indulgent  smile  that  did  not  prevent 
him  from  seeing  that  I  was  unconvinced. 

"Then  if  you  don't  like  fighting,  and  there's  no 
woman  in  the  case,  I  don't  see  what  takes  you  to 


36  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Peru,"  I  said.  "Surely  you  are  not  going  on  a  mere 
pleasure  jaunt." 

He  laughed  uneasily  again. 

"No,  I  don't  come  for  pleasure,"  he  said  with  a 
wavering  smile.  "'Twon't  do  any  harm  to  tell  you 
though,  and  I'll  do  it."  I  was  surprised,  and  I  was 
interested.  "My  home  is  in  the  town  of  Carton, 
State  of  Illinois.  I  once  had  a  brother.  Maybe 
I've  got  one  yet.  He  was  two  or  three  years  young- 
er than  me.  He  might  ha'  been  a  little  wild,  but, 
taken  all  around,  he  was  a  purty  good  sort  of  a 
fellow — at  least,  ordinarily  good.  It's  the  same  old 
story.  He  was  employed  in  the  bank  at  Carton 
six  months  ago.  He  got  to  goin'  with  a  set  of  young, 
half  respectable  devils.  He  always  was  one  of 
these  chaps  what  anybody  can  influence.  He'd 
spend  the  night  with  these  fellows.  Regular 
devils,  they  were.  They  got  him  to  gamble  with 
'em.  You  know  how  it  went  then.  Just  the  same 
old  story.  Of  course  he  lost.  That  only  made  it 
worse.  He  thought  his  luck  was  sure  to  turn.  After 
his  money  was  all  gone  he  gambled  on  his  credit. 
Before  he  knew  what  he  wras  doin'  he  was  five  hun- 
dred dollars  in  debt.  The  damned  rascals  threat- 
ened to  disclose  everything  if  he  didn't  pay  at 
once.  He  couldn't  raise  the  money.  You  know 
what  he  did,  of  course — went  and  took  it  from  the 
bank.  'Course  he  meant  to  pay  it  back.  All  of  'em 
do.  He  couldn't  afford  to  wait  long  enough,  or  it 
might  be  discovered.  So  he  took  to  gamblin'  again. 
He  thought  his  luck  would  change  sure.  You 
know  how  a  man  gets  when  he's  once  got  a  start. 
More  he  loses,  more  he  plays.  Jack  may  ha'  been 
a  damn  fool,  but  he  meant  for  the  best  First 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  37 

thing  he  knew  he  was  in  debt  again.  It  wasn't  so 
hard  this  time.  He  took  more  of  the  bank's  money. 
And  he  kept  on  with  his  ganiblin'.  That's  the  way 
things  went.  He  kept  takin'  more  and  more.  The 
bank  people  begun  to  fear  that  somethin'  was 
wrong.  The}'  went  over  the  books.  The  thing 
came  out  then.  Jack  had  took  inore'n  five  thousand 
dollars.  Thev  wanted  him  arrested.  Jack  heard 
that  the  game  was  up  and  skipped  out  He  knew 
that  he  would  be  sent  to  the  pen  if  he  stayed.  He 
went  to  'Frisco  first.  Next  we  heard  of  him,  he 
was  in  Peru.  We  got  one  more  letter  from  him. 
Said  he'd  joined  a  gang  of  rebels.  The  Lord  only 
knows  why  he  wanted  to  be  where  there  was  any 
fightin'.  I  guess  he  was  ready  for  anything,  though. 
"That  was  months  ago.  We  haven't  heard  of  him 
since.  Dunno  whether  he's  been  killed  or  what's 
become  of  him.  I  don't  think  he's  dead  though.  I 
got  it  in  my  head  to  go  down  and  hunt  him  up. 
Run  across  old  Paramonte  in  Chicago.  He  was 
buyin'  rifles  and  the  like  there.  That  give  me  an 
idea  of  what  he  was  up  to.  Jack  had  said  he 
joined  the  rebels.  It  was  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  it  was  Paramonte's  rebellion.  I  got  in  Para- 
monte's  service,  anyhow.  You  see  I'm  goin'  to  Peru 
to  hunt  up  Jack,  and  incidentally  to  serve  Para- 
monte. It's  hardly  my  doin',  though.  Jack  had 
a  little  sweetheart  at  Carton.  She  believes  in  him. 
You  know  how  women  will  do  when  they're  in  love. 
She's  the  one  that  persuaded  me  to  go  and  hunt  him 
up.  Then  she  wants  him  to  go  somewhere  she  can 
join  him.  So  my  mission  is  a  sort  of  a  conglomer- 
ate one,  I  guess  you'd  call  it.  I'll  help  Paramonte ; 


38  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

1-11  find  my  own  brother,  and  I'll  contribute  to  Nel- 
lie's happiness." 

"And  you'll  win  Carmencita  Paramonte,"  I 
added  with  a  smile,  remembering  the  episode  at  the 
hotel.  Somehow  my  anger  against  Whitman  cooled 
down  as  I  heard  him  talk. 

Whitman  was  startled.  He  glanced  over  me 
keenly. 

"What  do  you  know  of  Carmencita  and  me?"  he 
asked  writh  some  hesitation.  If  I  had  expected  him 
to  deny  his  connection  with  her  I  was  disappointed. 

"All  I  know  is  that  you  are  her  lover,  and  one 
of  your  reasons  for  serving  Paramonte  is  to  get  him 
to  let  Carmencita  marry  you,"  I  said  bluntly. 

Whitman  was  smoking  at  a  cigar.  He  regarded 
the  little  blue  curls  of  smoke  for  a  moment  and 
then  he  turned  to  me,  and  fixed  his  shrewd  eyes 
upon  mine. 

"I  don't  know  how  you  found  this  out,"  he  said 
calmly  and  deliberatively.  "There's  no  use  to  deny 
it,  though.  Yes,  I  am  in  love  with  Carmencita 
Paramonte.  I've  been  in  Peru  in  the  service  of 
the  Peruvian  Nitrate  Company  for  the  last  seven 
years,  till  I  came  home  a  month  or  two  ago  and 
found  Jack  in  such  a  devil  of  a  fix.  I  met  Carmen- 
cita at  Callao.  I  fell  in  love  with  her,  but  we  knew 
that  her  father  would  not  let  her  marry  me.  Now  I 
am  in  hopes  that  I  can  prove  of  some  use  to  him  in 
his  rebellion.  Then  after  I've  performed  some 
prodigy  of  valor  I  can  disclose  myself  like  they  do 
in  fairy  tales,  and  maybe  he'll  let  us  marry.  Quite 
romantic,  ain't  it?  But  I  hope  you  won't  disclose 
this  to  Paramonte  and  spoil  our  little  game.  He 
has  no  idea  that  I  am  his  daughter's  lover." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  39 

Whitman's  frank  explanation  quite  disarmed  me. 
He  spoke  in  such  a  truthful,  straight-forward  way 
that  I  had  to  believe  him. 

"I  assure  you,"  I  said,  crushing  down  my  jeal- 
ousy, which  proposed  the  other  course,  "that  I  will 
keep  your  secret.  More,  I  will  aid  you  in  every  way 
possible." 

I  congratulated  myself  on  my  magnanimity. 
Whitman  was  pleased  and  he  grasped  my  hand 
warmly. 

"But  I  want  to  find  my  brother,  too.  You  might 
call  that  another  romance.  I'm  a  devilish  unro- 
mantic  person  to  be  so  romantic,"  he  said  with  a 
laugh.  "Here's  a  photo  of  my  brother.  It's  a  good 
likeness." 

I  took  the  photograph  and  examined  it  critically. 
The  original  Jack  Whitman  was  a  slender,  slightly 
built  young  man  of  perhaps  twenty-five  years.  His 
features  wer^  rather  effeminate.  The  face  was  weak, 
and  not  attractive.  There  was  no  resemblance  to 
the  broad-shouldered,  jolly-faced  brother  before 
me. 

Listlessly  I  turned  the  photograph  over  and 
glanced  at  the  back.  Across  the  top  was  written, 
"From  Jack  to  his  own  Nellie."  Just  below  this 
an  affectionate  couplet  had  been  written  in  a  fine, 
feminine  hand. 

"That's  a  photo  he  gave  his  sweetheart,  Nellie 
Raymond,"  Whitman  continued,  noticing  my 
glance.  "I  didn't  have  any  good  ones,  and  so  I 
got  this  one  of  her.  If  you  ever  come  across  Jack 
in  Peru,  tell  him  that  Nellie  is  ready  to  join  him 
wherever  he  wishes.  All  he  has  to  do  is  to  com- 
municate with  her." 


40  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Certainly  I  will  tell  him  this  if  I  ever  come 
across  him,"  I  said  promptly.  "You — but  here 

comes  Captain  James." 

*          *          »          »          »  *  » 

The  night  which  followed  was  dark  and  rather 
squally.  A  drizzly  rain  was  falling.  Captain 
James,  Whitman,  the  mate  and  myself  were  con- 
gregated in  the  cabin.  We  were  cracking  jokes 
and  enjoying  ourselves  thoroughly,  with  occasional 
journeys  to  the  decanter  on  the  sideboard. 

Directly  I  remembered  that  I  had  left  something 
on  deck  that  the  rain  would  injure.  With  an  ex- 
cuse I  hurried  up  the  companion  way.  The  night 
was  dismal  and  the  wharf  unlighted.  I  could  hard- 
ly distinguish  anything  in  the  gloom.  However, 
I  knew  just  where  I  had  left  the  article,  and  I  has- 
tened toward  the  spot,  feeling  my  way  along  the 
rail. 

One  of  the  crew  was  supposed  to  be  on  deck,  but 
he  had  taken  refuge  in  the  forecastle.  He  was 
evidently  of  the  opinion  that  the  Sally  J.  could  take 
care  of  herself  in  San  Francisco  harbor.  I  was  all 
alone  on  the  deck.  Suddenly  I  thought  I  heard  a 
light  step  behind  me.  I  turned  quickly,  but  I  could 
see  nothing  in  the  inky  darkness. 

A  moment  later  I  heard  another  slight  sound. 
Again  I  peered  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  Just 
at  this  juncture  a  brilliant  flash  of  lightning  illu- 
mined the  sky,  the  bay  and  the  old  wharf.  I  caught 
just  a  glimpse  of  the  dim,  uncertain  figure  of  a 
man  lowering  himself  through  a  hatchway  which 
had  not  been  securely  covered.  The  man's  face  was 
turned  towards  me,  and  it  was  impressed  upon  my 
mind  as  if  burned  there  by  the  lightning  itself.  I 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  41 

thought  it  was  the  sailor  with  whom  I  had  seen 
Satander  conversing  that  afternoon. 

I  was  frightened  by  this  ghost-like  appearance, 
but  I  rushed  to  the  hatchway.  I  peered  excitedly 
into  the  hold.  The  darkness  there  was  even  more 
intense  than  it  was  on  the  outside,  if  that  were 
possible.  I  could  distinguish  nothing,  and  I  could 
hear  nothing. 

After  some  time  I  found  a  match  and  struck  it. 
I  held  the  flaming  match  into  the  dark  hold.  It 
only  aggravated  the  darkness,  and  I  could  see  noth- 
ing. I  tried  several  times,  but  I  could  see  nothing 
of  the  strange  apparition. 

At  last  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  had  all 
been  an  illusion  of  my  excited  brain.  Inwardly 
cursing  myself  for  letting  my  imagination  get  the 
best  of  me,  I  returned  to  the  cabin. 

Fearing  to  be  made  a  butt  for  their  ridicule,  I 
said  nothing  to  my  companions  of  my  adventure. 


42  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

IN  PERUVIAN  WATERS. 

The  next  morning  the  Sally  J.  commenced  her 
voyage.  We  had  hardly  lost  sight  of  land  when  I 
began  to  experience  a  most  unpleasant  sensation 
in  the  region  of  my  stomach.  It  was  as  if  four  con- 
flicting tempests  had  met  within  me.  The  alarming 
symptoms  grew  worse.  I  went  below  and  crawled 
into  my  berth,  thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  sea. 
For  the  next  two  days  I  meditated  suicide. 

At  last  a  pale,  miserable  wretch  ventured  to 
crawl  out  on  deck  once  more.  Whitman  was  there, 
but  he  looked  about  as  miserable  as  myself.  He 
had  gone  through  the  same  experience.  However, 
the  refreshing  sea  breezes  revived  us.  We  improved 
rapidly,  both  in  body  and  mind. 

The  weather  we  encountered  was  generally  fine. 
We  had  but  one  hard  blow.  This  outward  calm  did 
not  apply  to  the  inner  workings  of  the  Sally  J. 
Everything  went  smoothly  enough  for  the  first 
week  or  ten  days.  Then  the  crew  began  to  mutter 
among  themselves  and  declare  that  the  ship  was 
haunted.  Unlike  most  followers  of  the  sea,  Cap- 
tain James  did  not  believe  in  ghosts.  He  swore  at 
the  crew  and  threatened  to  put  them  all  in  irons. 
They  held  to  their  belief  that  the  ship  was  haunted. 
Nothing  could  shake  this  belief.  More  than  one 
claimed  to  have  seen  the  ghost  One  more  wise 
than  the  others  ascertained  in  some  unknown  man- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  43 

ner  that  on  her  last  voyage  the  mate  of  the  Sally 
J.  had  been  killed  by  a  mutinous  sailor.  His  ghost 
now  haunted  the  ship. 

Another  claimed  that  he  had  seen  the  ghost  issue 
from  the  cook  room.  He  was  so  frightened  that 
he  was  unable  to  cry  out.  The  ghost  had  vanished 
before  his  eyes.  It  was  a  difficult  matter  to  get 
one  of  the  crew  on  deck  after  dark. 

The  cook  declared  that  things  had  been  disap- 
pearing from  his  pantry.  He  attributed  the  dis- 
appearance to  the  ghost.  His  own  character  was 
not  above  suspicion  though.  Captain  James  flatly 
accused  him  of  stealing  the  stuff  he  claimed  had 
disappeared.  With  many  oaths  the  old  skipper 
threatened  to  murder  him  if  he  heard  him  speak 
of  ghost  again.  Some  of  the  coal  passers  claimed 
to  have  heard  suspicious  noises.  The  men  all  but 
refused  to  work.  I  was  afraid  they  would  mutiny 
and  take  the  Sally  J.  to  the  nearest  port  and  desert 
her. 

At  first  I  was  tempted  to  tell  of  my  own  experi- 
ence that  night  in  San  Francisco  harbor.  Upon 
reflection,  though,  I  decided  to  keep  my  own  coun- 
sel. It  would  only  increase  the  fears  of  the  crew 
and  hold  me  up  for  the  derision  of  Whitman  and 
Captain  James.  Generally  I  don't  believe  in  ghosts, 
but  I  was  beginning  to  believe  in  this  one. 

At  last  Captain  James  decided  to  overhaul  the 
whole  ship.  We  searched  every  nook  and  cranny, 
we  thought,  above  deck  and  below.  Nothing  was 
found.  This  only  tended  to  confirm  the  fears  of 
the  superstitious  crew;  to  them  the  ghost  was  a 
matter  of  settled  fact.  This  was  more  especially  so, 


44  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

as  one  of  their  number  claimed  to  have  seen  the 
ghost  the  very  next  night. 

There  were  ominous  mutterings  among  the  men, 
but  Captain  James  held  them  under  with  a  strong 
hand.  No  outbreak  occurred,  but  the  skipper's  au- 
thority was  often  stretched  almost  to  the  breaking 
point. 

At  last  we  arrived  in  Peruvian  waters.  We  ex- 
ercised more  caution  here,  but  we  were  not  mo- 
lested. We  touched  at  Callao,  but  only  long  enough 
for  Captain  James  to  send  a  messenger  ashore. 
The  messenger  soon  returned  with  a  written  order 
from  Paramonte.  The  skipper  read  it,  and  then 
crushed  it  in  his  hand,  swearing  quite  volubly.  I 
did  not  think  he  was  much  pleased. 

Leaving  Callao  we  steamed  southward  day  after 
day.  Sometimes  we  were  well  out  to  sea,  and  some- 
times we  were  in  sight  of  the  dreary,  barren  coast. 
One  evening  we  were  hugging  along  the  coast,  and 
I  judged  from  the  expression  of  satisfaction  upon 
the  skipper's  face  that  we  were  nearing  our  goal. 
Sure  enough,  shortly  after  nightfall  the  engines 
were  stopped.  Three  rockets  were  sent  up,  as  a 
signal  to  some  one  on  shore,  I  supposed.  A  single 
rocket  from  the  shore  was  our  answer.  Captain 
James  muttered  an  oath  of  satisfaction. 

We  remained  motionless  till  day  dawned.  Then 
we  got  under  way  again,  headed  for  the  shore.  The 
coast  line  rose  slowly  into  view,  indescribabty 
dreary  and  barren.  Captain  James  was  anxiously 
scanning  the  shore  with  his  glass.  Directly  I  heard 
him  mutter  a  grunt  of  satisfaction.  Peering  in  the 
direction  his  glass  was  pointed,  I  could  just  see  a 
tiny,  black  speck  upon  the  water.  As  it  approached 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  45 

us  this  speck  resolved  itself  into  a  boat.  There 
was  but  one  occupant.  Ten  minutes  later  the  small 
canoe-like  craft  was  brought  alongside  the  Sally 
J.  The  man  climbed  on  deck  and  greeted  us.  He 
was  a  mestizo,  and  I  supposed  he  had  come  aboard 
to  act  as  a  pilot.  He  talked  hurriedly  with  Captain 
James,  and  the  old  skipper  evidently  agreed  to 
what  he  was  saying.  From  that  time  the  mestizo 
was  virtually  in  command  of  the  Sally  J.,  although 
Captain  James  acted  as  his  mouthpiece. 

Our  prow  was  turned  southward  again.  We 
steamed  along  the  coast  till  just  after  noon  and 
then  our  engines  were  stopped  again.  We  merely 
rode  the  waves  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 

There  was  no  sail  in  sight,  and  the  sea  was  like 
glass.  All  day  a  flock  of  sea  birds  had  been  fol- 
lowing in  our  wake.  Much  to  our  disgust  they 
never  came  within  range  of  our  rifles.  Whitman 
was  especially  anxious  to  get  a  shot  at  one  of  the 
birds.  lie  persuaded  Captain  James  to  allow  us  to 
lower  the  dingey  and  try  if  we  could  not  get  nearer 
them  in  it.  The  birds  were  just  as  shy  of  the  dingey 
as  they  were  of  the  steamer.  They  circled  round 
us  with  maddening  persistency,  but  always  kept 
just  out  of  range  of  our  weapons.  After  several 
futile  attempts  to  get  within  shooting  distance,  we 
gave  up  in  despair  and  rowed  back  to  the  Sally  J. 
We  had  nothing  but  blistered  hands  for  our 
trouble. 

Whitman,  however,  was  not  yet  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  the  hopelessness  of  the  undertaking.  He 
requested  Captain  James  to  leave  the  dingey  in 
tow.  He  said  he  would  make  another  trial  later  in 
the  evening.  Captain  James  granted  the  request, 


•46  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

though  I  thought  he  looked  a  little  suspiciously  at 
Whitman.  He  had  never  liked  the  man.  The  dingey 
was  left  towing  behind  at  the  end  of  a  long  rope. 
Whitman,  however,  made  no  further  use  of  it. 

A  bank  of  clouds  rolled  up  from  the  south  just 
before  nightfall.  Soon  they  had  spread  over  the 
entire  heavens.  At  the  same  time  the  wind  began 
to  blow  from  the  southwest.  The  moon  would  not 
rise  till  later  in  the  night.  As  soon  as  darkness  set 
in  everything  was  covered  with  the  deepest  gloom. 

It  was  not  long  after  nightfall  when  Captain 
James  ordered  the  dingey,  which  was  still  towing 
astern,  to  be  brought  on  deck.  The  rope  was  drawn 
in,  but  no  dingey  was  attached. 

"What's  this?"  Captain  James  roared  out  with 
an  oath.  "A  rope  like  that  wear  in  two  in  four 
hours !" 

The  mate  was  examining  the  rope. 

"This  rope  don't  look  like  it  had  worn  in  two," 
he  said.  "I  believe  it's  been  cut,  Captain." 

Captain  James  ripped  out  another  oath  so  fear- 
ful and  so  original  that  I  envied  him.  He  took  the 
rope  and  examined  it.  It  was  plain  that  it  had  been 
cut  with  a  knife  or  some  sharp-edged  instrument. 

"Damn  it  all !"  he  roared.  "There's  some  devil's 
work  afoot!" 

"Maybe  the  ghost  done  it,"  the  mate  suggested, 
with  a  ghastly  attempt  at  a  smile.  He  was  pale  and 
trembling.  Evidently  he  really  believed  his  face- 
tious suggestion. 

"Ghost  be  damned!"  cried  the  angry  skipper. 
"That  looks  like  a  ghost's  work !" 

The  crew  was  immediately  called  to  quarters. 
We  feared  that  some  one  of  them  had  taken  it  into 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  47 

bis  Lead  to  go  and  betray  us  to  tbe  autborities.  Tbe 
mystery  only  deepened;  every  member  of  tbe  crew 
was  present.  They  whispered  together  in  awed  ac- 
cents. 

Then  more  astounding  than  ever  came  the  discov- 
ery that  Whitman  was  missing!  The  cabin  and 
staterooms  were  searched,  but  without  avail.  Whit- 
man was  not  to  be  found.  None  of  his  things  were 
gone ;  he  alone  was  missing.  It  was  plain  to  us  now 
why  he  had  wished  tbe  dingey  left  in  tow. 

"Whitman  was  an  infernal  spy,"  Captain  James 
said  with  vehemence.  "I  never  liked  him,  but  I 
didn't  think  he  was  so  bad  as  all  that." 

"I  guess  he  was  about  as  bad  as  they  make  'ein," 
I  returned.  It  was  hard  to  think  of  the  bluff,  free- 
hearted man  as  a  traitor,  but  the  evidence  was  con- 
vincing. I  was  forced  to  accept  it.  He  himself  had 
asked  to  have  the  dingey  left  in  tow;  the  dingey 
had  been  cut  loose ;  he  alone  of  those  on  the  Sally 
J.  was  missing.  I  could  see  no  explanation  but  that 
he  was  a  traitor.  Did  Carmencita  know  of  this? 
I  asked  myself.  Or  was  he  deceiving  her  as  he  had 
deceived  the  rest  of  us? 

Alarmed  at  this,  we  decided  to  await  develop- 
ments before  we  tried  to  land.  Captain  James 
paced  up  and  down  swearing  and  raging.  The  mes- 
tizo pilot  was  also  ill  at  ease.  But  the  night  wore 
on,  and  nothing  appeared  to  alarm  us,  so  we  be- 
came more  at  ease.  At  last  Captain  James  and 
the  mestizo  decided  to  make  a  landing  after  all. 

The  Sally  J.  would  that  night  anywhere  have 
been  rated  as  a  decidedly  suspicious  craft.  No 
lights  whatever  were  visible  about  her.  From  all 


18  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

jippearances  she  might  have  been  some  black  phan- 
tom of  the  deep. 

Far  away  to  the  west  the  lights  of  one  lone  ves- 
sel were  just  visible.  In  the  east  the  bare  hills  and 
mountains  along  the  coast  of  Peru  were  just  visible, 
silhouetted  upon  the  face  of  the  skurrying  clouds. 
We  were  steaming  directly  toward  this  coast.  As 
we  drew  nearer  and  the  coast  loomed  up  in  greater 
distinctness  I  began  to  feel  afraid.  The  mestizo 
pilot,  though,  evidently  knew  his  business.  He 
kept  his  course  with  unerring  confidence.  There 
was  a  break  in  the  bold  shoreline  and  it  was  toward 
this  that  he  was  steering.  It  seemed  to  me,  though, 
that  we  were  rushing  to  certain  destruction.  But 
the  Sally  J.  continued  boldly  onward,  and,  almost 
before  I  knew  it,  we  were  riding  in  a  little  half- 
sheltered  cove. 

Upon  the  sandy  beach  and  back  among  the  dark 
shadows  were  clusters  of  men.  A  number  of  boats 
were  drawn  up  on  the  beach,  ready  to  be  launched. 
Some  of  Paramonte's  troops  were  there  to  convey 
the  supplies  into  the  interior. 

Half  a  dozen  of  the  boats  immediately  put  out 
from  the  shore.  A  rather  elderly  man  in  a  sort  of 
a  light  uniform  was  the  first  to  reach  the  deck.  I 
took  him  to  be  the  officer  in  command  of  the  ex- 
pedition. 

"You  got  in  at  last,"  the  officer  remarked,  greet- 
ing Captain  James  and  the  mestizo. 

"Yes,  we  got  in,"  replied  Captain  James  in  very 
poor  Spanish ;  "but  get  your  men  on  here  in  a  hurry 
and  put  'em  to  work.  It's  clearin'  up  an'  the  moon's 
comin'  up.  We  want  to  get  away  from  here  as  soon 
as  we  can.  Get  a  move  on  ye." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  49 

In  a  few  minutes  the  deck  of  the  Sally  J.  was 
fairly  swarming  with  revolutionists.  Boats  were 
all  around  her.  The  hatches  were  quickly  uncov- 
ered, and  many  of  the  men  sprang  down  into  the 
hold.  These  handed  up  the  boxes  of  rifles,  the  cases 
of  ammunition  and  the  other  stuff  to  those  on  deck. 
In  turn  they  conveyed  them  to  the  boats,  in  which 
they  were  taken  to  the  shore.  Everybody  worked 
with  a  will.  Hour  after  hour  they  worked  away, 
for  the  most  part  in  silence. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  clouds  had  disappeared,  as 
if  swept  away  by  a  magic  broom.  A  brilliant  wrhite 
moon  had  risen,  lighting  up  the  scene.  Captain 
James  and  the  pilot  did  not  like  this.  They  hurried 
the  work  of  unloading  with  all  possible  speed.  Final- 
ly the  last  case  of  rifles  and  the  last  box  of  ammuni- 
tion were  conveyed  to  the  shore.  The  officer  I  had 
first  seen  advanced  toward  us  once  more. 

"General  Paramonte  said  that  you  would  have 
two  passengers,"  he  said. 

"Only  got  one  though  now,"  the  skipper  said 
bluntly.  "Here  is  Senor  Garnack.  The  other  one 
— a  feller  named  Whitman — turned  traitor.  Gar- 
nack'll  tell  you  about  it.  If  you  ever  run  across 
him  blow  his  brains  out  and  be  done  with  it.  But 
I  want  to  get  away.  I  don't  like  to  run  any  more 
risk  than  I  can  help." 

"Beggin'  yer  parding,  Captain,"  interrupted  the 
mate,  who  was  peering  through  his  glass,  "but 
there's  a  gunboat  steamin'  down  this  way!" 

The  falling  of  a  bomb  in  our  midst  coiild  not 
have  created  more  consternation  than  did  this  an- 
nouncement. 

"The  hell  you  say!"  gasped  the  Captain.      He 


50  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

seized  the  glass  from  the  mate's  hand  and  peered 
through  it  eagerly. 

A  glimpse  showed  him  that  the  mate  had  spoken 
the  truth.  A  gunboat  was  coasting  down  toward 
us. 

Those  who  yet  remained  on  the  deck  of  the  Sally 
J.  were  quickly  sent  ashore.  Major  Barrez,  the 
officer  I  had  seen,  and  I  followed  in  the  last  boat, 
In  a  few  minutes  I  was  on  Peruvian  soil.  We  had 
hardly  left  her  when  the  Sally  J.'s  screw  began 
churning  the  water.  Under  a  full  head  of  steam 
the  filibuster  passed  out  to  the  open  sea.  She  still 
carried  no  lights,  but  she  was  plainly  visible  both  to 
those  on  shore  and  to  those  on  the  gunboat. 

The  gunboat  was  but  a  small  affair.  In  fact  she 
was  little  more  than  a  tug,  with  a  cannon  or  two 
mounted  on  her  deck.  She  was  designed  more  for 
frightening  smugglers  than  for  any  serious  service. 
The  Sally  J.  was  steaming  straight  out  to  sea.  The 
gunboat  was  trying  to  cut  off  her  escape  in  this  di- 
rection. There  was  a  dangerous  promontory  a  few 
miles  south.  The  pilot  evidently  wanted  to  give  this 
dangerous  point  a  wide  berth.  The  filibuster's 
engines  were  doing  their  best,  but  the  gunboat, 
though  small,  was  by  no  means  slow.  For  awhile 
the  race  was  close. 

As  the  chase  continued,  it  soon  became  evident 
that  the  Sally  J.  was  the  faster  vessel.  She  steadily 
gained  upon  the  gunboat  and  would  have  left  her 
behind  easily  had  not  their  courses  narrowed  down 
so  rapidly.  As  it  was,  however,  she  just  about  held 
her  own.  The  gunboat  saw  that  she  could  not  over- 
take the  Sally  J.  in  fair  chase.  By  a  well-executed 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  51 

maneuver,  however,  she  was  brought  within  range 
of  the  Sally  J.,  but  directly  astern. 

A  puff  of  whitish  smoke  appeared  at  the  bow  of 
the  gunboat.  It  was  followed  by  the  heavy  boom 
of  a  cannon.  Despairing  of  overtaking  her  by  other 
means,  the  gunboat  had  fired  upon  the  Sally  J., 
hoping  to  cripple  her.  A  considerable  sea  was  run- 
ning and  the  gunboat  was  tossing  considerably. 
The  shot  flew  wide  of  its  mark. 

The  gunboat  continued  firing  at  intervals  until 
the  Sally  J.  was  entirely  out  of  range.  Then,  real- 
izing that  the  chase  was  over,  she  turned  and 
steamed  back  to  the  north.  Unharmed,  the  Sally 
J.  gradually  disappeared  from  our  sight. 


52  \  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER   V. 

A  DESPERATE  STRUGGLE. 

I  now  had  time  to  question  Major  Barrez  con- 
cerning our  surroundings.  He  soon  outlined  his 
plans  to  me.  As  is  well  known,  the  great  railway 
of  Southern  Peru  extends  from  the  seaport  of  Mol- 
lendo, across  the  desert  to  Arequipa  and  thence 
on  over  the  Andes  to  Puno  on  Lake  Titicaca  and  to 
Santa  Rosa  further  north.  After  leaving  Mollendo 
it  parallels  the  seacoast  for  several  miles  until  the 
river  Tambo  is  reached.  Then,  breaking  through 
the  range  of  abrupt  hills  that  mark  the  seacoast, 
it  changes  its  course  entirely  and  starts  off  north- 
eastward over  the  desert  to  Arequipa,  the  great  city 
of  the  south,  a  hundred  miles  further  inland. 

The  little  village  of  Tambo  is  on  the  railroad, 
just  at  the  point  where  the  railroad  leaves  the  river. 
Now  Barrez's  men  had  captured  a  train  running 
from  Mollendo  to  Arequipa,  and,  after  having 
dumped  out  the  little  freight  it  was  carrying  and 
left  the  passengers  in  the  desert  to  make  their  way 
out  the  best  they  knew  how,  they  had  brought  it  to 
Tambo  with  a  string  of  empty  cars.  Now  they 
meant  to  load  the  supplies  on  this  train  and  convey 
them  inland.  Major  Barrez's  only  fear  was  that 
the  troops  at  Mollendo  would  hear  of  his  raid  and 
get  to  Tambo  before  the  train  got  away. 

Tambo  was  several  miles  northwest  of  where  we 
had  landed.  All  the  time,  however,  a  stream  of 


A  MAN  OP  AMBITION.  53 

pack  animals  were  kept  going  to  and  from  the  vil- 
lage, bearing  heavy  loads.  I  wondered  at  the  ex- 
pedition with  which  this  work  was  carried  on.  Al- 
ready nearly  half  the  supplies  were  at  Tarnbo  or 
on  the  way  there. 

Directly  the  sky  along  the  summits  of  the  eastern 
mountains  grew  lighter.  In  a  few  minutes  a  bright, 
red  disk  appeared,  and  the  bright  rays  of  the  sun 
fell  upon  the  faces  of  the  toiling  men.  My  first 
Peruvian  day  was  begun. 

Immediately  the  heat  grew  severe,  but  the  men 
worked  silently  at  their  tasks.  But  at  last  all  the 
supplies  were  on  their  way,  and  with  Major  Barrez 
I  started  after  them.  It  was  midday  when  we  at 
last  arrived  at  Tambo. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  village  were  thoroughly 
frightened  by  Major  Barrez's  show  of  force.  They 
were  quite  submissive  and  aided  us  in  every  way 
possible.  A  line  of  pickets  had  been  thrown  out  to 
the  north.  At  any  event  troops  coming  from  that 
direction  would  not  be  able  to  surprise  us. 

The  train  was  composed  of  half  a  dozen  flat  cars 
and  a  little,  rusty,  wheezing,  antiquated  apology  for 
an  engine.  At  any  rate,  however  antiquated  the 
railroad  might  be,  it  was  certainly  better  than  car- 
rying the  stuff  inland  merely  by  pack  train. 

Steam  was  up  in  the  engine,  and  the  engineer 
was  tightening  his  nuts  and  fixing  things  up  gener- 
ally. The  train  was  ready  to  start  as  soon  as  the 
loading  was  finished.  The  men  worked  swiftly, 
and  they  were  just  finishing  their  work,  when  the 
distant  report  of  a  rifle  floated  to  our  ears.  The  re- 
port seemed  to  proceed  from  a  point  further  north, 
but  our  view  in  that  direction  was  cut  off  by  a  pro- 


54  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

jecting  spur  of  the  coast  hills.  The  railroad  skirted 
around  this  spur. 

The  single  report  was  quickly  followed  up  by 
others,  scattering  but  alarming.  Of  course  it  was 
our  pickets  who  were  being  driven  in  by  a  force 
of  government  troops.  The  rattle  of  musketry 
grew  louder.  Evidently  a  considerable  skirmish 
was  in  progress.  Presently  half  a  dozen  excited 
figures  appeared  around  the  spur.  They  were  run- 
ning with  all  their  might,  yelling  out  that  the  gov- 
ernment troops  were  coming. 

Our  men  hurriedly  grabbed  up  their  weapons 
and  swung  into  line.  I  don't  know  why,  but  Major 
Barrez  was  determined  to  fight.  He  did  not  think 
that  the  government  troops  were  in  force;  and  at 
any  rate,  as  he  said,  if  they  were  too  many  for  us 
we  could  retire  to  the  hills,  where  the  government 
troops  would  be  afraid  to  pursue  us.  He  was  an 
old  fire-eater,  anyhow,  and  wanted  to  fight  for  the 
sake  of  fighting.  Certainly  there  was  no  necessity 
for  it.  He  knew  better  than  to  risk  the  train  load  of 
supplies,  though.  They  were  to  be  sent  on  with 
about  half  the  soldiers.  I  remained  behind  with 
Major  Barrez  and  the  others.  I  was  as  ea?er  for  a 
fight  as  was  Major  Barrez  himself. 

The  order  to  move  was  given,  and  with  a  dis- 
cordant shriek  the  old  engine  began  to  snort  and 
wheeze.  After  several  abortive  attempts  she  got 
the  train  into  motion.  In  a  few  minutes  the  train 
was  out  of  sight. 

Just  as  the  train  was  lost  from  view  the  vanguard 
of  the  government  troops  appeared  around  the  spur 
of  the  hill.  Only  the  head  of  the  column  was  in 
view.  We  could  have  no  idea  of  the  number  of  our 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  55 

assailants.  Major  Barrez  did  not  think  there  were 
more  than  two  or  three  companies  of  them.  Our 
men  began  firing  as  soon  as  they  came  in  sight, 
although  the  range  was  so  great  that  most  of  the 
bullets  fell  short.  The  column  immediately  deployed 
and  prepared  to  attack  us.  Our  postion  was  a  strong 
one.  We  were  just  on  the  outside  of  the  village,  on 
a  slightly  elevated  bit  of  ground.  The  government 
troops  would  have  to  cross  a  perfectly  open  space 
to  attack  us.  The  railroad  made  a  slight  cut  here. 
The  greater  portion  of  our  line  was  intrenched  in 
this  cut.  The  Tanibo  River  was  on  our  left,  and  the 
precipitous  hills  upon  our  right.  Here  we  awaited 
the  assault. 

As  the  government  troops  deployed  they  began 
to  advance.  They  were  slow  about  this,  though, 
waiting  evidently  for  the  rest  of  their  men  to  come 
up.  They  kept  up  a  continual  fire  that  made  us 
keep  pretty  close  under  cover,  but  which  otherwise 
did  no  harm. 

All  the  time  their  men  kept  pouring  around  the 
spur  of  the  hill  at  double  quick  time  and  deploying 
into  line.  When  at  last  the  troops  were  all  up 
and  the  advance  began  in  earnest,  I  judged  that 
there  were  between  two  and  three  hundred  of  them. 
Our  own  men  numbered  about  one  hundred,  per- 
haps some  more.  Major  Barrez  had  not  expected 
the  attackers  to  be  in  such  force.  He  was  ill  at 
ease,  but  it  would  not  do  to  run  away  now.  I  was 
rather  confident  of  our  ability  to  withstand  the  at- 
tack, intrenched  as  we  were  in  the  cutting. 

They  came  on  confidently,  going  slowly  at  first, 
and  then  as  our  fire  grew  hotter,  breaking  into 
a  quick,  swinging  trot.  They  did  not  expect  much 


56  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

resistance.  Our  men  kept  up  an  irregular  fire,  but 
without  much  effect.  Only  occasionally  a  man 
dropped  out  of  the  ranks. 

On  they  came,  now  wavering,  now  surging  forward 
with  renewed  force,  now  halting  to  deliver  their  fire. 
Our  fire  was  more  destructive  now.  Those  who 
dropped  from  the  ranks  were  more  numerous.  The 
survivors  only  closed  up  the  ranks  and  continued 
onward.  On  our  side  the  men  were  sheltered  by 
the  railroad  cut.  They  crouched  there  and  pumped 
lead  with  surprising  nonchalance.  We  had  suffered 
no  loss  whatever  so  far. 

They  never  looked  back  to  see  what  loss  they  had 
suffered.  Their  eyes  were  centered  up  that  railroad 
cut,  with  its  line  of  rifles  belching  death  and  de- 
struction. They  came  on  with  dogged  persistence. 
Their  line  became  thinner  and  thinner,  but  they 
never  faltered.  They  did  not  move  so  swiftly  now, 
and  we  were  confident. 

Sometimes  they  faltered  and  even  retreated,  but 
they  always  rallied  and  recovered  the  ground  they 
had  lost.  Every  few  rods  they  would  halt  and  fire 
a  volley,  but  very  few  of  our  men  were  struck.  Our 
rifles  belched  forth  their  defiance  again  and  again, 
but  we  could  not  check  their  advance. 

A  few  minutes  more  and  they  were  swarming 
upon  us.  We  were  not  prepared  to  give  in  tamely, 
though.  We  had  hardly  lost  half  a  dozen  men,  and 
we  were  still  confident.  We  sprang  up  and  met  them 
hand  to  hand.  Nothing  but  the  reports  .of  rifles 
and  revolvers,  the  wild  cries  of  the  combatants,  the 
thud  of  the  bayonets  as  they  entered  the  flesh,  the 
clash  of  swords,  and  the  cries  of  the  wounded  and 
dying  could  be  heard.  Every  man  fought  for  him- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  5? 

self.  All  order  was  lost  in  the  general  tumult  of 
the  battle. 

We  received  manfully  the  terrific  onslaught,  and 
we  succeeded  in  checking  the  advance  of  the  gov- 
ernment troops  for  a  time.  For  some  time  neither 
side  had  the  advantage.  The  fighting  masses  surged 
backwards  and  forwards  through  the  low  cut  and 
over  the  ground  about  it. 

At  last  the  superior  number  of  the  government 
troops  broke  down  our  stubborn  tenacity.  Gradual- 
ly they  drove  us  back  through  the  fields.  Little  by 
little,  desperately  contesting  every  foot  of  the  way, 
we  were  forced  to  retreat.  It  looked  as  though  we 
must  be  utterly  defeated.  A  little  way  back  we  tried 
to  make  another  stand.  For  a  few  minutes  we  man- 
aged to  hold  our  own.  We  even  forced  the  govern- 
ment troops  back  a  little.  We  were  encouraged  by 
this  and  confidence  increased.  We  might  then  have 
won  the  battle  had  not  a  new  factor  appeared  in  the 
fight 

A  company  or  two  of  government  troops  had 
crossed  the  hills  to  the  north,  swung  round  till  they 
reached  the  railroad,  and  now  they  came  pouring 
along  it  upon  our  rear.  The  crack  of  their  rifles 
was  the  first  warning  we  had  of  their  presence. 
Our  position  was  now  such  that  we  were  surrounded 
by  the  government  troops  on  three  sides  with  the 
river  on  the  fourth.  Major  Barrez  was  at  an  end  of 
his  resources.  We  had  not  looked  forward  to  this 
outcome  of  the  fight. 

The  troops  in  our  rear  came  sweeping  down  upon 
us,  shooting  and  yelling.  A  sort  of  a  panic  came 
over  our  men.  They  had  fought  well  till  now,  but 
now  they  huddled  together  like  sheep.  Many 


58  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

plunged  into  the  river  and  swam  to  the  opposite 
bank.  They  threw  away  their  rifles  and  fled  for 
dear  life.  The  rest  of  us  put  up  a  decent  show  of 
resistance,  but  we  knew  that  we  must  be  crushed 
to  pieces  between  the  two  detachments. 

There  was  a  moment's  lull  in  the  fighting,  and 
then,  in  one  grand  irresistible  rush,  they  swept 
down  upon  us  from  all  directions.  Our  officers 
then  lost  what  little  vestige  of  authority  they  pos- 
sessed up  to  this  time.  The  ranks  were  broken. 
Every-*ian  was  left  to  his  own  inclinations,  to  fight 
or  run  away,  just  as  he  chose.  Few  ran  away, 
though,  for  in  order  to  get  away  they  would  have 
to  swim  the  river,  and  while  doing  so  they  presented 
tempting  marks  to  sharpshooters.  Government 
troops  and  revolutionists — all  seemed  to  mingle  in 
one  indescribable  and  inextricable  melee. 

The  soldiers  on  both  sides  fought  more  like  de- 
mons than  like  men.  I  have  never  seen  more  ter- 
rific fighting,  and  I  never  want  to  see  it.  The 
weapons  were  used  with  appalling  effect.  The 
slaughter  was  terrific. 

I  took  no  part  in  the  first  portion  of  the  fight, 
save  as  a  spectator.  In  the  desperate  hand-to-hand 
struggle,  however,  I  wras  suddenly  whirled  into  the 
midst  of  the  maelstrom  of  battle.  A  big,  burly- 
looking  officer  strode  up  to  me.  I  had  my  revolvers 
in  my  pockets,  but  no  weapons  were  visible  about 
me.  The  fellow  concluded  that  I  had  been  dis- 
armed. He  raised  his  sword  to  strike  me  down.  I 
realized  my  danger.  There  must  be  no  delay.  I 
snatched  a  revolver  from  my  pocket,  and  before  the 
man's  sword  could  descend  I  had  it  pointed  at  his 
breast.  Then  I  pulled  the  trigger.  The  muzzle 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  59 

of  the  weapon  was  so  close  to  his  breast  that  the 
flash  of  the  powder  burned  his  greasy  uniform.  He 
fell  backward,  but  whether  dead  or  wounded  I  could 
not  tell. 

As  the  man  fell,  his  sword,  descending  of  its  own 
weight,  struck  me  a  glancing  blow  across  the  face. 
A  slight  flesh  wound  was  inflicted.  It  bled  profuse- 
ly, but  was  otherwise  not  of  a  serious  nature.  The 
blood  trickled  down  over  my  face.  Soon  it  was 
dyed  a  bright  scarlet  hue,  giving  me  a  most  terrify- 
ing appearance.  The  sight  of  blood  seemed  to  rouse 
every  bit  of  my  fighting  nature  and  I  was  utterly 
reckless  of  danger.  I  secured  the  sword  belonging 
to  the  man  who  had  fallen,  and  threw  myself  into 
the  thick  of  the  fight. 

From  that  time  until  the  general  advance  of  the 
government  troops  broke  our  ranks,  I  fought  in  the 
front  rank,  and  I  may  say  that  I  fought  as  well  as 
any  of  our  men. 

We  fought  desperately,  although  we  knew  that  it 
was  useless.  Some  few  of  our  men  managed  to  cut 
their  way  out  of  the  struggling  mass  and  escaped  to 
the  hills.  Not  more  than  a  fourth  of  our  number 
escaped,  though.  Some  few  of  the  remainder  had 
already  been  captured,  but  the  most  were  still  fight- 
ing. 

Before  long  only  about  thirty  of  us  remained. 

As  if  drawn  by  some  magnet,  we  were  all  con- 
gregated about  one  point,  surrounded  on  all  sides 
by  the  government  troops.  There  we  made  our  last 
stand.  We  fought  so  well  that  for  a  time  the  men 
about  us  fell  bark.  We  had  nothing  to  fight  for. 
There  was  no  hope  of  rescue  or  anything  of  the  sort, 
but  still  we  fought  on.  On  the  part  of  most  of  us, 


60  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

especially  the  Peruvians,  it  was  perhaps  because  we 
knew  that  in  all  probability  we  would  be  shot  as 
rebels  if  we  surrendered.  Better  to  die  on  the  field 
than  to  stand  blindfolded  and  have  your  body  rid- 
dled. 

Though  opposed  by  overwhelming  numbers,  we 
held  out  stoutly  for  awhile.  But  those  next  to  us 
were  pressed  on  by  those  further  away,  and  they 
closed  about  us.  In  spite  of  all  our  efforts,  our  cir- 
cle was  broken.  Individually  the  men  struggled 
bravely,  but  all  those  not  killed  were  at  last  over- 
powered and  made  prisoners.  The  battle  was  over. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  61 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  SHORT-LIVED  FREEDOM. 

A  detachment  was  left  behind  to  bury  the  dead, 
but  the  main  body  of  the  government  troops,  to- 
gether with  the  prisoners,  moved  off  in  the  direction 
of  Mollendo.  There  were  about  fifty  of  the  prison- 
ers. Major  Barrez  and  myself  were  among  them. 
Barrez  was  wounded  in  several  places.  His  wounds 
were  paining  him  considerable.  He  could  hardly 
walk. 

I  was  much  crestfallen  to  think  that  I  should  be 
captured  in  my  first  battle  upon  Peruvian  soil.  It 
was  a  very  inauspicious  beginning. 

We  were  closely  guarded  on  our  march  to  Mollen- 
do,  but  no  outbreak  occurred.  I  kept  idly  glancing 
over  the  faces  of  the  men  around  me.  Directly  my 
attention  was  called  to  one  of  them  who  wore  no 
uniform.  He  seemed  to  possess  considerable  author- 
ity among  the  officers  of  the  expedition.  He  was 
consulting  with  the  colonel  in  command  when  I  first 
saw  him.  His  back  was  turned  toward  me.  Some- 
how his  figure  was  dimly  familiar,  but  for  the  time 
I  was  unable  to  recall  where  I  had  seen  him. 

Directly  he  turned  so  that  I  could  see  his  face. 
Then  it  all  came  upon  me  like  a  flash  of  light  in 
darkness.  Tins  ununiformed  man  of  authority  was 
none  other  than  the  man  I  had  seen  lowering  him- 


62  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

self  into  the  hold  of  the  Sally  J.  when  she  lay  in 
San  Francisco  harbor. 

The  man  recognized  me  at  the  same  time.  He 
turned  excitedly  to  the  colonel  and  jabbered  some- 
thing to  him,  with  frequent  gestures  in  my  direc- 
tion. The  colonel  glanced  keenly  at  me  and  nodded. 
The  man  seemed  satisfied. 

So  the  figure  I  had  seen  was  not  a  phantom  after 
all.  It  did  not  take  me  long  to  arrive  at  the  con- 
clusion that  this  man  had  played  an  important  part 
in  wending  the  gunboat  after  the  Sally  J.  and  the 
subsequent  attack  of  the  government  troops.  I 
decided  that  he  had  worked  in  collusion  with  Whit- 
man. I  looked  about  more  closely,  thinking  that 
Whitman  himself  might  be  with  the  troops.  I 
could  see  nothing  of  him. 

After  a  march  of  several  hours  we  arrived  at 
Mollendo,  a  place  of  considerable  size,  doing  the 
shipping  business  of  nearly  all  Southern  Peru  and 
a  great  portion  of  that  of  Bolivia.  It  was  now  well 
along  toward  evening. 

The  troops  were  drawn  up  in  the  plaza  for  the 
benefit  of  the  people.  The  people,  however,  did  not 
seem  at  all  pleased  with  the  outcome  of  the  fight. 
Some  few  cheered  the  soldiers,  it  is  true;  but  for 
the  most  part  they  either  hooted  them  or  remained 
sulkily  silent.  The  colonel  chewed  his  lip  in 
chagrin. 

We  prisoners  were  immediately  marched  away 
under  a  small  guard.  People  lined  the  streets,  and 
the  balconies  of  most  of  the  houses  were  occupied. 
Some  of  the  people  were  cheering,  but  it  was  the 
prisoners  they  cheered,  not  the  troops.  Pretty 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  63 

women  waved  their  handkerchiefs  and  tossed  ua 
kisses. 

At  last  we  were  stowed  away  in  cells  in  what  I 
took  to  be  the  city  jail.  There  were  stone  walls  and 
guards  all  around  us.  Escape,  I  thought,  was  im- 
possible. 

The  guards  were  disposed  to  treat  us  kindly. 
They  had  heard  how  we  fought,  and  they  respected 
us  for  our  valor.  They  supplied  us  with  water  in 
basins,  so  that  we  could  wash  the  blood  and  grime 
from  our  hands  and  faces  and  bathe  our  wounds. 
There  were  three  in  the  cell  with  me.  All  of  us  had 
wounds  to  show,  but  none  of  them  was  serious. 

One  of  my  fellow  prisoners,  a  reckless,  dissipated 
young  fellow,  had  a  smattering  knowledge  of  sur- 
gery. He  had  been  a  student  at  the  great  school  of 
medicine  at  Arequipa;  but  he  had  got  into  some 
trouble  there  and  had  been  forced  to  join  the  rebels 
or  risk  being  sent  to  prison.  He  doctored  our 
wounds  as  well  as  the  limited  resources  at  our  com- 
mand permitted. 

We  got  nothing  whatever  to  eat  that  evening. 
When  night  came  the  others  dozed  off,  but  I  could 
not  sleep  on  account  of  the  filthiness  of  the  place. 
The  hours  dragged  by  slowly.  I  tried  hard  to  go  to 
sleep,  but  could  not. 

I  lay  there  meditating  upon  the  uncertainties  of 
a  soldier's  life,  when  suddenly  I  thought  I  heard  a 
key  being  inserted  in  the  lock  of  the  door  of  our 
cell.  I  started  up  in  alarm.  A  hundred  wild 
thoughts  went  coursing  through  my  mind.  I  had 
read  of  where  brutal  jailers,  wishing  to  get  rid  of 
their  prisoners,  had  murdered  them,  and  then  at- 
tributed their  death  to  suicide.  I  was  badly  fright- 


04  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

ened.  I  started  to  wake  my  sleeping  companions, 
but  an  impulse  told  me  not  to  do  it.  I  waited  in 
suspense. 

The  key  grated  in  the  lock  and  I  heard  the  click 
of  the  bolt  as  it  fell  back.  Then  the  door  was 
swung  cautiously  open.  Two  figures  appeared  in 
the  doorway,  dim  and  shadowy. 

"The  only  foreigner  I  noticed  particularly  is  in 
here,"  a  voice  said  in  an  undertone.  "Most  likely 
he  is  your  man." 

"Most  likely." 

"Sefior  Garnack !"  another  voice  spoke  in  a  little 
louder  tone.  At  the  same  time  the  men  peered  anx- 
iously into  the  cell. 

I  was  mightily  surprised.  I  had  not  been  in 
Peru  a  day,  and  I  did  not  think  a  single  soul,  save 
perhaps  some  of  the  men  imprisoned  with  me,  knew 
my  name.  Yet  here  was  a  man  calling  me  by  name. 
I  could  not  remember  ever  having  heard  his  voice 
before.  I  rose  on  my  elbow  and  peered  at  the 
man. 

"Who  the  devil  are  you?"  I  growled  roughly. 

"Hush !  Not  so  loud !"  whispered  the  man,  with 
a  warning  gesture.  "You  are  Sefior  Garnack?" 

"That's  mv  name.  What  do  you  want  with 
me?" 

"Bueno!  This  is  our  man!"  exclaimed  the  fel- 
low, taking  me  by  the  hand.  "You  must  follow 
me,"  he  added  to  me. 

"Who  are  you?"  I  asked. 

"Never  mind.  I  was  sent  to  get  you  out  of  here 
and  I'm  going  to  do  it.  You  must  follow  me." 

His  tone  carried  confidence  with  it.  Greatly  be- 
wildered, I  scrambled  to  my  feet.  None  of  my  fel- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  65 

low  prisoners  was  awakened.  The  stranger  led  me 
out  of  the  cell.  As  soon  as  we  were  out,  the  other 
man  closed  and  locked  the  door.  There  was  a  guard 
at  the  further  end  of  the  corridor,  but  he  had  dis- 
creetly turned  his  back.  I  began  to  understand 
that  I  was  to  be  taken  from  the  prison.  Without  a 
word  the  two  men  conducted  me  along  the  corridor. 
At  the  door  a  couple  of  guards  challenged  us.  The 
second  man  spoke  a  word  or  two,  the  guards  saluted, 
the  door  was  opened,  and  we  passed  out  into  the 
street. 

The  one  who  had  spoken  to  the  guard  now  left 
us,  and  returned  to  the  prison.  The  other  led  me 
in  silence  along  the  streets  for  several  blocks.  I 
was  greatly  puzzled  as  to  who  this  man  was  and 
what  he  meant  to  do.  I  was  sure  that  I  had  never 
seen  him  before.  Was  I  free  or  was  I  merely  being 
transferred  to  something  worse?  Glancing  up  into 
his  face,  I  saw  that  the  man  was  regarding  me  with 
an  amused  smile. 

"You  consider  this  a  rather  strange  proceeding, 
eh,  Senor  Garnack?"  he  remarked. 

"I  don't  see  anything  about  it  that  is  not  strange. 
I  am  completely  at  sea.'' 

"I  guess  I  had  better  explain.  My  name  is  Hel- 
araz.  You  are  now  out  of  prison  and  I  mean  that 
you  shall  stay  out.  I  got  you  out,  yet  I  never  saw 
you  until  I  saw  you  in  that  cell.  That's  a  little 
strange,  eh?" 

"It  certainly  is." 

"However,  I  am  merely  the  ambassador  of  a  high- 
er power.  You  will  get  to  meet  that  power  person- 
ally after  awhile.  She  will  be  glad  to  see  you. 
Doubtless  you  will  be  glad  to  see  her." 

Seffor  Helaraz  was  regarding  me  with  a  quizzical 


66  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

smile.  I  was  more  puzzled  than  ever.  Who  was 
this  strange  woman  who  had  sent  him  to  get  me  out 
of  prison?  I  knew  but  one  woman  in  Peru,  and 
that  was  Carmencita.  And  for  the  past  few  weeks 
I  had  been  striving  to  erase  her  face  from  my  mem- 
ory. Yet  a  vague  hope  that  it  was  Carmencita  took 
hold  of  me. 

"As  for  the  rest,"  continued  Senor  Helaraz,  "it 
wasn't  hard.  The  prison  is  in  charge  of  Senor 
Raston.  He  is  a  friend  of  mine.  I  persuaded  him 
to  let  you  out.  They  will  not  notice  one  prisoner 
missing  among  them  all.  You  don't  want  me  to  go 
into  details,  eh?  The  bare  fact  that  you  are  out  is 
enough  for  you  now." 

We  walked  for  some  distance,  meeting  no  one. 
The  streets  were  deserted.  Senor  Helaraz  was  chat- 
ting gaily  all  the  time.  Then  he  led  the  way  to  a 
house  and  we  entered.  All  the  other  houses  were 
enveloped  in  darkness,  but  there  was  a  light  in  this 
one.  As  we  entered  the  patio  the  light  dazzled  me 
for  a  moment.  I  heard  a  glad  little  cry  and  the 
frou  frou  of  a  woman's  skirts  as  she  advanced  to- 
ward me.  There  was  no  mistaking  that  voice.  It 
was  Carmencita. 

"Here  is  the  woman  who  sent  me  on  a  cavalier's 
errand,"  said  Helaraz,  gaily. 

Carmencita's  pretty  face  was  aglow,  and  a  happy 
light  was  dancing  in  her  eyes.  She  laid  both  her 
little  hands  in  mine  and  glanced  up  into  my  face, 
tenderly — lovingly,  I  thought.  I  remembered  our 
parting  in  San  Francisco  and  wondered. 

"Oh,  I  am  so  glad!"  she  exclaimed.  "I  saw  you 
with  the  prisoners  this  afternoon.  I  did  not  know 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  67 

what  to  do.  But  uncle  has  got  you  away.  I  am  so 
glad." 

"1  am  glad,  too — glad  to  be  free  arid — for  other 
things,  Carmencita." 

I  had  never  called  her  Carmencita  before.  She 
Hushed  a  little,  but  her  eyes  sparkled  with  a  heaven- 
ly light.  She  did  not  withdraw  her  hands;  and  she 
did  not  seein  at  all  displeased. 

"Tell  nie  about  how  you  caine  to  be  captured," 
she  said. 

Thereupon  I  told  the  story  of  the  battle  for  the 
benefit  of  Carmeucita  and  Seilor  Helaraz.  Their 
anxiety  was  somewhat  relieved  when  they  learned 
that  the  train  carrying  the  supplies  that  the  Sally 
J.  had  landed  had  got  away  safely.  A  different  re- 
port was  current  in  the  town.  When  I  had  finished 
Carmeucita  remained  silent  with  her  eyes  down- 
cast, meditating  upon  something.  Then  she  looked 
up,  and  her  face  whitened  perceptibly. 

"And  Scfior  Whitman?"  she  asked  with  a  little 
catch.  "Was  he  captured,  or  what?" 

I  hesitated  a  moment.  I  remembered  that  Whit- 
man had  declared  to  me  that  Carmencita  was  en- 
gaged to  marry  him.  I  believed  now  that  she  loved 
me. 

"Sefior  Whitman  disappeared,"  I  said,  "just  be- 
fore we  landed." 

"Disappeared?"  Carmencita  gasped. 

"We  had  been  shooting  at  birds  during  the  day. 
He  asked  to  have  the  boat  left  in  tow.  That  was 
done.  Just  after  nightfall  the  boat  was  gone.  It 
had  been  cut  loose.  Whitman  was  the  only  man 
missing." 


68  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"What  do  you  make  of  his  disappearance?"  Seiior 
Helaraz  asked. 

"We  were  of  the  opinion  that  he  was  hired  to  be- 
tray the  Sally  J.  Of  course  the  coming  of  the  gun- 
boat and  of  the  troops  confirmed  us  in  the  belief  that 
he  had  betrayed  us." 

"It  does  look  strange." 

"Seiior  Whitman  was  not  a  spy,"  said  Carrnen- 
cita  earnestly.  "I  know  him  well  enough  to  know 
that." 

"Perhaps  not;  but  circumstances  point  that 
way." 

"I  won't  pretend  to  offer  any  solution,  but  I  am 
sure  that  his  disappearance  can  be  explained." 

"I  hope  that  it  can  be  explained.  I  always  liked 
him.  But  things  looked  pretty  black  for  him." 

"I  know  that  he  did  not  betray  the  expedition." 

I  was  irritated  at  the  vigor  with  which  Carmen- 
cita  defended  Whitman.  Did  she  really  love  this 
fellow,  or  did  she  really  love  me,  or,  the  thought 
struck  me,  was  she  playing  the  coquette  with  us 
both.  I  could  not  decide. 

Directly  we  all  retired.  In  spite  of  my  fatigue, 
the  joy  that  I  was  out  of  prison  and  all,  I  did  not 
sleep  much.  I  was  constantly  thinking  of  Carmen- 
cita  and  what  a  dear  woman  she  was. 

Seiior  Helaraz,  I  had  learned,  was  an  uncle  of 
Carmencita's,  having  married  one  of  Paramonte's 
sisters.  Carmencita  was  staying  with  him,  while 
her  father  was  with  the  army.  Paramonte  was  now 
up  in  the  mountains  somewhere  near  Arequipa, 
but  Helaraz  could  not  tell  just  where. 

Senor  Helaraz  came  to  my  chamber  the  next 
morning  just  after  I  had  dressed  myself.  We  con- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  69 

versed  earnestly  for  some  time.  I  saw  immediately 
that  Sefior  Helaraz  wanted  to  get  me  away  from 
Mollendo  as  soon  as  possible.  The  evening  before 
he  had  said  lightly  that  my  escape  would  not  be  no- 
ticed on  account  of  the  number  of  the  prisoners, 
but  now  I  could  see  that  he  was  far  from  feeling 
the  confidence  that  his  words  had  expressed.  1 
told  him  that  I  wanted  to  join  Paramonte's  army  in 
the  interior,  if  possible.  He  said  that  it  would 
probably  be  for  the  best. 

We  had  soon  formulated  a  plan.  The  principal 
difficulty  was  to  get  out  of  the  city  without  being 
recognized.  An  agent  of  Paramonte  lived  a  few 
miles  in  the  country.  Through  his  aid  I  could  easily 
join  Paramonte. 

Senor  Helaraz  was  nervous.  He  wanted  to  start 
right  away.  I  think  he  was  afraid  that  my  escape 
would  be  noticed,  and  that  his  part  of  the  matter 
might  come  out.  So  we  decided  to  start  immediate- 
ly. He  got  the  carriage  ready  while  I  took  leave 
of  Carmencita.  She  was  affected  by  the  parting, 
and  I  came  near  pouring  the  whole  story  of  my  love 
into  her  ears.  However,  I  restrained  myself  to  a 
few  kind,  sympathetic  words,  and  a  promise  to  see 
her  again  when  the  opportunity  offered. 

The  more  open  a  plan  is  often  the  more  easily 
it  escapes  detection.  We  were  working  on  this  sup- 
position, and  I  was  to  accompany  Senor  Helaraz 
in  an  open  carriage,  and  he  would  drive  me  to  the 
home  of  the  Paramonte  sympathizer,  who  would 
manage  to  get  me  into  the  interior.  There  wrere  few 
people  on  the  street,  but  I  tried  to  conceal  my  face 
as  much  as  possible.  I  was  rather  fearful,  but 


70  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Seiior  Helaraz  was  confident  and  he  kept  chatting 
gaily. 

The  streets  about  us  were  quiet,  but  we  could 
hear  shouts  and  yells  in  the  distance.  Sefior  He- 
laraz became  uneasy.  The  noise  increased  as  we 
proceeded,  and  directly  we  came  upon  the  cause 
of  it.  Just  ahead  of  us,  a  number  of  soldiers  ap- 
peared, marching  along  a  street  running  at  right 
angles  with  the  one  we  were  following.  Immediate- 
ly behind  them,  and  guarded  on  both  sides  by  the 
soldiers,  the  prisoners  were  marching  along.  Had 
it  not  been  for  Senor  Helaraz  I  should  have  been 
among  them. 

We  drew  up  at  the  corner  to  wait  for  the  pro- 
cession to  pass.  Two  more  carriages  were  crowd- 
ing up  behind  us.  The  street  was  narrow  and  we 
could  not  have  turned  back,  had  we  desired  to  do 
so.  The  sidewalks  were  lined  with  men,  women 
and  children,  hooting  the  troops  and  cheering  the 
prisoners.  Some  overbold  fellows  even  went  so  far 
as  to  shy  rocks  at  the  soldiers.  Affairs  were  assum- 
ing a  serious  aspect. 

"They're  going  to  take  the  prisoners  somewhere 
else,"  commented  Seiior  Helaraz.  "Bucno!  It's 
lucky  you  got  out  last  night.  It  looks  like  the 
whole  town  was  up  against  the  troops.  The  troops 
are  afraid — afraid  of  a  mob.  A  mob  fights  hard 
sometimes,  though  I  reckon  they  were  afraid  the 
people  would  break  open  the  jail  and  take  you  fel- 
lows out.  Dios,  who  knows  but  that  they  might  do 
it?  I  suppose  they'll  send  your  comrades  to  Lima 
to  be  shot.  Diofi,  they're  afraid  to  shoot  'em  here. 
If  they  did  we  would  have  a  little  taste  of  hell  here. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  71 

Ah,  amigo,  you  have  escaped  more  than  you  real- 
ize." 

The  procession  of  soldiers  and  prisoners  was  of 
considerable  length.  All  the  time  they  were  pass- 
ing, the  crowds  along  the  street  were  growing 
thicker. 

I  could  see  from  the  black  looks  of  the  soldiers 
that  they  did  not  like  this.  They  longed  to  pour  a 
volley  into  that  hooting  mob  and  disperse  it.  How- 
ever, they  restrained  their  impulses  and  marched 
on  in  dogged  silence.  They  kept  a  strict  watch  on 
the  prisoners,  lest,  encouraged  by  the  demonstra- 
tions of  the  people,  they  should  make  a  break  for 
liberty.  The  officers  in  command  knew  their  busi- 
ness. They  paid  no  attention  to  the  cries.  They 
were  treading  on  a  powder  mine.  A  single  shot 
would  touch  off  the  mine  and  a  fearful  riot  would 
ensue. 

At  last  the  procession  was  about  passed.  Two  or 
three  officers  were  marching  along  close  to  our 
carriage.  Glancing  at  them,  a  thrill  of  fear  ran 
through  me  as  I  recognized  one  of  them  as  the  phan- 
tom of  San  Francisco  harbor.  I  started  up  in 
alarm.  The  fellow  happened  to  glance  up  and  he 
saw  me.  I  tried  to  hide  my  face,  but  he  recognized 
me.  He  turned  to  the  officers  and  said  something, 
indicating  me  by  an  excited  gesture.  The  officers 
were  astonished,  and  then  sprang  toward  the  car- 
riage. 

Senor  Helaraz  saw  that  I  had  been  recognized. 
With  a  malediction  he  tried  to  force  the  horses  for- 
ward, but  one  of  the  officers  had  grasped  the  bridles 
and  the  horses  only  reared  and  plunged.  My  only 
hope  now  lay  in  flight.  I  sprang  from  the  carriage 


12  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

and  started  to  run.  The  crowd  hampered  ray  move- 
ments. I  had  not  gone  ten  steps  when  a  heavy  hand 
was  laid  upon  my  shoulder.  I  was  not  armed  and 
could  make  no  resistance.  The  game  was  up.  Two 
other  officers  and  the  man  who  had  recognized  me 
quickly  joined  my  captor. 

They  hurried  me  back  through  the  crowd  to  where 
the  column  of  soldiers  had  halted.  I  was  powerless 
to  resist.  The  mob  at  first  did  not  comprehend  the 
scene.  My  last  hope  lay  in  it,  though. 

"Help  me,"  I  cried  out,  appealing  to  them. 

They  looked  at  us  doubtfully  for  a  moment.  Then 
two  or  three  of  them  sprang  forward.  A  sword 
flashed  in  the  air,  and  one  fellow  was  howling  with 
a  handless  arm.  A  pistol  cracked  and  another  was 
dancing  around  like  a  wild  Indian  with  his  hand 
clasped  to  his  shoulder.  The  officers  knew  that  the 
situation  was  critical,  and  they  jerked  me  forward. 
In  a  moment  we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  soldiers. 

The  tension  was  broken  at  last.  In  a  minute, 
sticks  and  stones  were  flying  through  the  air.  Two 
or  three  shots  rang  out  above  the  tumult.  They 
were  fired  from  the  sidewalks.  A  soldier  dropped 
in  the  ranks  a  few  paces  ahead. 

The  officers  restrained  their  men  no  longer.  The 
exasperated  soldiers  threw  up  their  rifles,  and  the 
next  moment  the  cries  and  the  tumult  were  drowned 
in  their  roar.  Shrieks  of  pain  were  mingled  with 
the  cries  of  rage  and  the  crack  of  the  rifles.  The 
soldiers  laughed  grimly.  They  realized  the  folly 
of  the  mob.  The  prisoners  made  no  attempt  to 
escape.  They  knew  that  any  attempt  would  be  their 
death  warrant.  They  would  be  massacred  rather 
than  be  allowed  to  escape. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  73 

No  second  volley  was  needed.  The  crowds  which 
had  lined  the  streets  melted  away  as  if  by  magic. 
Only  a  few  of  the  killed  and  wounded  remained  to 
tell  the  tale.  The  others  were  fleeing  for  dear  life. 
The  street  was  deserted.  The  soldiers  only  laughed 
grimly  and  continued  their  march.  The  mob  was 
effectually  broken  up.  They  were  not  molested  any 
further. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

WHITMAN  TURNS  UP. 

We  were  marched  straight  down  to  the  water 
front  and  out  onto  a  wharf.  Most  of  the  prisoners 
were  relieved  when  we  got  there.  For  my  own  part 
I  was  not  caring  much  for  anything.  I  had  had 
freedom  in  my  grasp  and  had  let  it  fall  through  my 
fingers.  I  ought  to  have  been  out  of  Mollendo,  free, 
and  here  I  was  on  my  way  to  some  prison  instead. 
I  wondered  what  Carmencita  would  think.  She  had 
contrived  to  get  me  out  of  the  hands  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  I  had  contrived  to  get  back  in  them  again. 
But  there  was  no  helping  it  now. 

We  were  driven  like  sheep  aboard  a  small  tug 
which  was  waiting  there  to  receive  us.  We  were 
stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  tug.  The  hold  was 
a  foul  enough  place,  but  it  was  hardly  so  bad  as  I 
had  expected.  There  were  no  portholes,  but  the 
hatches  were  kept  open. 

There  was  quite  a  number  of  soldiers  aboard  the 
tug,  and  they  watched  us  vigilantly.  We  were  bad 
revolutionists,  ripe  for  any  rash  act.  We  did  not 
remain  long  at  the  wharf.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
tug  was  under  way. 

All  the  men  who  had  been  taken  prisoners  yes- 
terday were  now  on  the  tug.  I  glanced  over  them, 
and  recognized  Major  Barrez  and  one  or  two  others. 
In  a  moment  my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  man 
sitting  at  one  side,  with  his  head  forlornly  sup- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  75 

ported  on  his  palms.  His  hat  was  pulled  down  over 
his  face,  and  in  the  dim  light  I  was  unable  to  recog- 
nize his  figure.  In  a  moment  he  looked  up.  Our 
eyes  met.  His  face  lit  up  with  incredulous  surprise, 
and  he  uttered  a  low  cry  of  amazement.  I,  too,  was 
amazed.  The  recognition  was  mutual. 

"Garnack  !"   exclaimed  the  man. 

-Whitman!"    I  cried. 

To  say  that  I  was  surprised  is  to  greatly  under- 
rate my  feelings.  Here  was  mystery  and  it  puzzled 
me. 

"What  the  devil  is  it  that's  brought  you  here?" 
I  gasped. 

"And  how  in  the  name  of  God  do  you  come  to  be 
here?"  Whitman  asked  in  the  same  breath. 

"We  were  attacked  by  a  regiment  of  government 
troops  from  Mollendo  early  yesterday  morning. 
The  train  got  away  safe  with  Paramonte's  supplies. 
We  were  -cut  to  pieces.  Those  of  us  who  weren't 
killed  were  captured.  It  was  a  devilish  tough  fight. 
The  Sally  J.  was  chased  after  she  had  landed  her 
cargo.  She  got  away,  though." 

"Are  you  telling  me  the  truth?"  Whitman  asked. 

"Of  course  I'm  telling  you  the  truth,"  I  replied. 
"You  ought  to  know  it  well  enough  without  being 
told  at  all.  You : 

I  could  go  no  further. 

"This  is  the  work  of  that  infernal  spy!"  he  ex- 
claimed, clenching  his  fingers. 

"Of  course  it  is  the  work  of  a  spy,"  I  returned. 
"And  you—  I  stopped  short  again.  I  was  think- 
ing rapidly.  Since  his  disappearance  I  had  been 
confident  that  it  was  WThitman  who  had  betrayed, 
or  at  least  helped  to  betray,  the  expedition  into  the 


76  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

hands  of  the  government  authorities.  But  if  this 
were  the  case,  then  why  was  he  thus  confined  in  the 
hold  of  this  infernal  prison  ship,  like  any  other, 
prisoner?  It  seemed  that  he  should  have  been  hon- 
ored and  feted.  The  more  I  thought  of  it,  the  more 
puzzling  the  mystery  became. 

Then  plausible  explanations  flashed  upon  me  in 
rapid  succession.  Perhaps  he  had  refused  to  carry 
out  some  other  dangerous  or  undesirable  task  which 
had  been  imposed  upon  him,  and  had  been  cast  away 
for  this  refusal.  This  was  certainly  a  very  flimsy 
pretext  for  imprisoning  a  man.  Perhaps  the  fellow 
was  even  now  merely  pretending  to  be  a  prisoner. 
Appearing  to  be  a  comrade,  he  might  worm  much 
information  out  of  the  prisoners  which  would  be  of 
value  to  the  government.  I  liked  this  explanation 
best.  Anyhow,  I  would  show  Whitman  that  I  was 
not  blind  as  to  his  purpose. 

"Whitman,"  I  said,  speaking  bluntly  and  to  the 
point,  "your  little  game's  up.  You  can't  play  any 
more  of  your  monkey  tricks  on  me.  You  may  have 
some  lie  fixed  up,  but  I  know  devilish  well  that  you 
are  a  spy  in  the  employ  of  the  Peruvian  government. 
More,  I  know  it  was  vou  that  betrayed  our  expedi- 
tion." 

Whitman  had  risen,  but  now  he  started  back  as  if 
stung  by  a  scorpion.  I  never  saw  a  man  better  simu- 
late^injured  innocency.  Either  Whitman  was  not 
a  guilty  man,  or  else  he  was  a  most  consummate 
actor. 

"You  say  that  I  betrayed  the  expedition?"  he  re- 
peated, as  if  he  could  not  believe  what  he  had  heard. 
His  haggard  cheeks  flushed  hotly. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  77 

"That's  what  I  said,"  I  returned  grimly,  though 
I  was  beginning  to  have  rny  doubts. 

"Surely,  Garnack,  you  did  not  suspect  ine  of 
that,"  he  returned.  "You?  I  thought  you  were 
uiy  friend." 

"Well,  I'm  not  your  friend,"  I  returned  doggedly, 
"and  I  did  suspect  you.  If  you  didn't  betray  the 
expedition,  then  why  in  the  name  of  heaven  did  you 
get  into  the  dingey — you  know  devilish  well  that 
you  yourself  asked  Captain  James  to  leave  it  in  tow 
—why  did  you  get  into  the  dingey,  then  cut  the  rope 
and  leave  us  without  any  explanation?  I'd  like  for 
you  to  explain  that.  Oh,  you  infernal  spy!" 

Whitman  sprang  forward  threateningly.  His 
hands  were  clenched  and  his  eyes  flashed. 

"You  insult  me!"  he  cried,  and  he  made  as  if  to 
strike  me. 

For  my  part,  I  don't  believe  I  moved  a  muscle. 

"It's  all  very  well  to  strike  me  when  you've  doubt- 
less got  all  these  soldiers  behind  you  to  keep  me 
from  striking  back,"  I  said. 

My  words  stayed  his  rage.  His  hands  fell  to  his 
sides. 

"You  do  me  an  injustice,  Garnack,"  he  said.  "I 
can  explain." 

I  laughed. 

"Of  course  you  can,"  I  said.  "You  wouldn't  be 
here  if  you  didn't  have  some  yarn  fixed  up." 

"Believe  me,  Garnack,  I  am  no  traitor." 

"Maybe  not.  Anyhow,  go  on  with  your  story. 
Let's  see  what  sort  of  a  lie  you  can  manufacture." 

"As  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  above  me,"  said 
Whitman,  earnestly,  "everything  that  I  tell  you  is 
true." 


78  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Go  on." 

"Circumstances  certainly  were  against  me,  but  I 
never  thought  you  fellows  would  take  me  for  a 
traitor.  Just  after  dark,  night  before  last,  I  was 
standing  on  the  deck  of  the  Sally  J.,  near  the  stern. 
The  rest  of  you  were  at  supper.  I  didn't  think  there 
was  anybody  on  deck  but  me.  I  thought  I  heard  a 
step  behind  me.  I  turned  round,  expectin'  to  see 
you  or  somebody.  A  strange  man  was  there,  though. 
He  was  a  ferocious  lookin'  big  sailor.  I  thought  of 
the  ghost  and  shivered.  Tried  to  yell,  but  the  words 
stuck  in  my  mouth.  I  was  half  scared  to  death. 
The  man  was  the  livest  ghost  I  ever  saw.  I  couldn't 
say  a  thing  till  he  was  upon  me.  I  am  a  purty  strong 
man,  but  I  was  like  a  pigmy  in  his  hands.  His  arms 
were  like  steel.  I  couldn't  throw  him  off.  He  got 
me  on  my  back  and  choked  me  till  I  thought  I  was 
going  to  die  sure.  He  stuffed  a  dirty  handkerchief 
in  my  mouth.  None  of  you  fellows  heard  the  noise. 
He  tied  my  hands  and  feet.  I  couldn't  do  anything 
then.  I  thought  then  that  the  mate  was  on  the. 
bridge,  but  I  can't  say  for  certain.  If  he  was,  he 
never  noticed  us.  The  man  caught  hold  of  the  rope 
fastened  to  the  dingey,  and  pulled  it  up  close  to  the 
stern.  He  left  me  where  I  was  for  a  minute.  Then 
he  got  a  new  idea.  'The  very  thing,'  I  heard  him 
say.  He  then  picked  me  up  and  put  me  down  into 
the  boat.  I  was  all  in  a  heap.  I  couldn't  move  or 
yell  or  anything.  He  followed  me  into  the  boat. 
Then  he  cut  the  rope. 

"The  Sally  J.  was  goin'  slow  at  the  time,  but  she 
shot  off  into  the  gloom  and  left  us  alone.  The 
dingey  simply  drifted  till  we  couldn't  see  or  hear 
the  Sally  J.  Then  he  cut  my  hands  and  feet  loose. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  79 

and  pushed  me  into  a  seat  and  put  oars  in  uiy  bauds. 
Then  he  pulled  out  a  big  revolver  and  ordered  me  to 
row.  I  did  row.  He  held  the  revolver  in  one  band 
and  steered  with  the  other.  The  boat  rocked  and 
tossed  till  I  was  half  scared  to  death.  He  had  to 
put  up  his  gun  and  bail  the  water  out.  It's  a  won- 
der to  me  why  we  didn't  sink  or  capsize  a  hundred 
times.  The  man  knew  just  where  he  was.  I  don't 
know  how  he  found  it  out,  but  he  did.  Most  likely 
he  had  heard  Captain  James  say  something  about 
it.  He  brought  us  straight  to  Mollendo.  They  took 
me  and  put  me  in  a  cell  in  one  of  their  infernal 
prisons.  They  kept  me  there  till  this  mornin',  and 
then  some  soldiers  came  to  take  me  away.  They 
brought  me  here.  But  let  me  tell  you,  Garnack,  I 
never  was  so  surprised  as  when  I  saw  you  here." 

"You  couldn't  have  been  much  more  surprised 
than  I  was." 

I  did  not  know  whether  to  believe  Whitman's 
story  or  not.  It  was  strange,  but  it  had  a  ring  of 
truth  about  it.  It  might  only  be  a  daring  lie, 
though.  I  told  him  that  I  believed  him,  and 
that  I  was  sorry  I  had  ever  suspected  him.  At  the 
same  time  I  resolved  to  watch  him. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  hold  was  foul,  and  at  in- 
tervals we  prisoners  were  allowed  to  come  on  deck. 
It  was  only  for  a  short  time  and  in  small  groups, 
though. 

Along  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  my  turn 
came.  With  two  or  three  others  I  was  brought  on 
deck.  The  day  was  very  beautiful.  We  were  cling- 
ing close  to  the  shore.  There  was  a  point  just  ahead 
which  did  not  seem  to  be  more  than  half  a  mile 
away.  I  was  standing  near  the  rail,  gazing  out  to- 


80  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

ward  the  barren  coast  and  wondering  if  I  could 
jump  overboard  and  swim  to  it.  Suddenly  there 
came  a  great  cry  from  somewhere  forward.  One  of 
the  soldiers  had  been  leaning  over  the  rail,  watch- 
ing a  school  of  fishes,  when  he  had  lost  his  balance 
and  fallen  overboard. 

Pandemonium  immediately  ensued.  Everybody 
began  yelling  to  everybody  else,  and  nothing  could 
be  heard  above  the  din.  Everybody  ran  to  the  rail 
to  see  what  had  become  of  the  unfortunate  soldier. 
The  engines  were  stopped,  but  the  tug  continued 
onward  of  her  own  momentum.  The  soldier  soon 
came  to  the  surface,  directly  astern.  He  struggled 
wildly,  beating  the  water  into  foam  in  his  violent 
but  vain  efforts  to  keep  on  top. 

"Help !  help !"  he  yelled  frantically. 

"He  can't  swim !  Don't  you  see?"  yelled  the  com- 
mander of  the  tug.  "Why  don't  some  of  you  help 
him?" 

There  were  no  life  buoys  or  such  modern  appli- 
ances on  board  the  tug.  The  fellow's  comrades  only 
shook  their  heads.  They  were  not  going  to  risk 
their  lives. 

A  brilliant  thought  suddenly  came  to  my  mind. 
I  might  jump  overboard  and  swim  to  land.  In  the 
excitement  my  absence  would  not  be  noticed.  I 
sprang  to  the  rail.  Just  as  I  sprang  overboard, 
some  one  saw  me. 

"Stop  him !  Stop  him !  He's  escaping !"  he  yelled 
out. 

I  realized  that  my  plan  had  failed.  In  a  moment 
the  rail  was  lined  with  faces  on  this  side.  The  sol- 
dier who  had  fallen  overboard  was  forgotten.  Half- 
a-dozen  rifles  were  pointed  at  my  head.  One  or  two 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  81 

shots  were  fired  at  me,  probably  as  a  warning,  but 
none  of  them  touched  me. 

I  realized  now  that  I  had  done  a  very  rash  thing. 
I  was  about  to  give  up  and  return  to  the  tug  and 
surrender,  when  a  new  thought  struck  me.  Chang- 
ing my  direction,  I  swam  with  strong  stroke  to- 
ward where  the  soldier  had  last  appeared.  I  would 
cover  my  attempt  at  escape  with  a  cloak  of  magnan- 
imous heroism,  and  get  myself  out  of  a  bad  scrape. 

The  soldiers  on  the  tug  saw  what  I  meant  to  do. 
They  did  not  fire  any  more  shots  after  me,  but 
cheered  me  instead.  I  was  soon  at  the  spot  where 
the  man  had  disappeared.  In  a  moment  his  head 
appeared  above  the  water. 

I  grasped  him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat  and  held 
his  head  above  water.  He  was  thoroughly  exhaust- 
ed, and  remained  a  dead  weight  on  my  hands.  A 
boat  had  been  launched  and  was  coming  toward 
us.  It  was  all  I  could  do  to  hold  the  fellow's  head 
above  water.  Once  we  both  disappeared  entirely. 
However,  I  managed  to  hold  out  until  the  boat  ar- 
rived. I  grasped  it  with  my  free  hand.  The  men 
in  the  boat  dragged  the  soldier  on  board.  I  clam- 
bered in  after  him. 

The  exhausted  soldier  held  his  hand  out  to  me. 
I  managed  to  grasp  it  with  a  sufficient  degree  of 
ardor. 

"Perhaps  I  may  do  as  much  for  you  some  time," 
he  said. 

"It  was  nothing." 

I  was  an  unconscionable  hypocrite.  The  poor 
fellow  evidently  believed  that  I  had  unselfishly 
risked  my  life  to  save  his, 


83  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

MYSTERY  ADDED  TO  MYSTERY. 

The  prisoners  differed  in  their  opinions  concern- 
ing where  we  were  being  taken.  Some  thought  one 
place  and  some  another.  Major  Barrez's  opinion 
was  that  we  were  to  be  taken  to  the  great  state 
prison  at  Lima.  The  soldiers  about  us  were  mute 
as  clams,  and  we  could  learn  nothing  from  them. 

The  little  tug  steamed  along  pretty  steadily  un- 
til near  nightfall.  She  was  a  very  slow  vessel,  and 
did  not  make  much  speed  any  of  the  time.  Late  in 
the  evening,  however,  she  ran  into  the  harbor  of  a 
small  village  at  which  coasting  vessels  stopped  oc- 
casionally. This  was  Quilca,  at  one  time  the  prin- 
cipal port  of  Arequipa.  We  were  not  disembarked, 
but  remained  on  the  steamer  through  the  night. 
The  next  morning  the  tug  was  brought  up  to  the 
shambling  old  wharf.  The  prisoners  were  ordered 
out  of  the  hold,  and  formed  into  an  awkward  line 
on  deck.  Major  Barrez  and  one  or  two  others  were 
so  badly  wounded  that  they  would  not  be  able  to 
march  on  foot  with  the  main  body.  They  were 
taken  ashore  first  and  mounted  upon  sleepy-looking 
mules. 

The  rest  of  us  were  then  marched  ashore  between 
the  lines  of  soldiers.  Almost  the  entire  population 
of  the  town  was  turned  out  to  watch  us  as  we  were 
taken  through.  I  heard  many  exclamations  of  sur- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  83 

prise,  execration  and  pity  from  the  crowds.  The 
prisoners  marched  along  haughtily  with  their  heads 
in  the  air,  as  became  desperate  revolutionists. 

Leaving  the  town  we  started  out  on  a  narrow 
road,  which  led  directly  into  the  interior.  The  road 
was  little  more  than  a  mule  path.  It  was  desper- 
ately rough.  When  we  were  out  of  the  town  some 
of  the  guards  became  more  talkative.  I  learned 
that  we  were  to  be  taken  lo  Arequipa,  The  great 
Santa  Rossa  prison  was  located  there.  It  was  to 
this  prison  that  we  were  being  taken.  We  would 
have  been  sent  to  Arequipa  by  the  railroad,  but 
the  officers  wanted  to  fool  the  people  and  make  them 
think  we  had  been  taken  further  north. 

With  occasional  digressions,  our  road  followed 
the  banks  of  a  small  river.  The  country  was  far 
from  inviting,  especially  off  the  river.  On  the  des- 
ert there  was  no  vegetation,  except  here  and  there  a 
scrubby  algarrobo.  It  was  all  one  vast  desert  waste 
upon  which  rain  never  fell.  There  was  nothing  to 
relieve  the  monotony  of  the  scenery  except  the 
mountains  in  the  distance.  It  was  always  the  same 
expanse  of  dry,  burning,  dazzling  sand  and  rock. 
The  sun  beat  down  upon  us  with  unexampled 
power.  Now  and  then  a  lizard  would  be  seen  crawl- 
ing over  the  hot  sand,  but  that  was  the  only  indi- 
cation of  life.  The  region  was  not  thickly  popu- 
lated, even  in  the  valley.  We  did  not  see  more  than 
a  dozen  haciendas  during  the  entire  journey. 

We  traversed  about  twenty-five  miles  that  day. 
This  was  a  long  march  under  the  circumstances. 
We  remained  at  a  small  village  that  night.  There 
were  no  disturbances  during  the  night.  We  were 
on  the  way  early  the  next  morning. 


84  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

We  were  drawing  nearer  the  mountains  now,  and 
in  the  clear  morning  light  the  scenery  was  grand. 
The  mighty  snow-capped  peaks  of  the  Andes  stood 
out  in  clear,  bold  outlines  against  the  deep  blue 
background.  Nearer,  the  foot  ranges,  clothed  with 
their  dark  forests,  only  accentuated  the  majesty  of 
the  more  distant  mountains. 

All  through  this  day  our  march  was  continued. 
About  three  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  fourth 
day  from  leaving  Quilca,  we  arrived  at  Arequipa. 
This  is  the  greatest  city  in  Southern  Peru,  and, 
after  Lima,  the  greatest  in  all  Peru.  It  is  a  solidly 
built  place,  beautifully  situated  at  the  foot  of  the 
mighty  mountain  Misti,  which  towers  for  fourteen 
thousand  feet  above  the  city. 

Santa  Rossa  prison,  in  which  we  were  to  be  in- 
carcerated, was  just  outside  the  limits  of  the  city. 
The  prison  house  proper  was  a  large  building  of 
hard  stone,  cut  in  great  blocks.  The  massive  walls 
and  little,  iron-barred  windows  gave  it  a  most  for- 
bidding appearance.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  thick 
stone  wall,  some  fifteen  feet  high.  There  were 
guards  all  around  it.  The  whole  place  had  a  very 
formidable  and  military  aspect. 

My  heart  sank  within  me  as  I  realized  that  our 
chances  for  escape  from  behind  those  thick  walls 
were  very  slim  indeed.  We  were  met  at  the  gate  of 
the  courtyard  by  the  jailer  and  some  of  the  guards. 
The  jailer  grinned  in  his  own  savage  manner  when 
we  were  delivered  into  his  charge.  As  the  great 
iron  gates  clanged  shut  behind  us,  we  realized  that 
the  gates  of  the  world  had  closed,  and  for  many  of 
us  they  were  never  to  be  opened  again.  We  were 
hurried  across  the  courtyard  into  the  prison.  Here 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  85 

we  Were  in  a  narrow  corridor  with  a  row  of  cells  on 
either  hand.  At  different  places  as  we  passed  along 
the  corridor,  cell  doors  were  thrown  open  and  some 
of  the  prisoners  shoved  into  the  cells.  Often  they 
were  already  occupied  by  one  or  two  men.  Whit- 
man was  placed  in  the  first  cell  opened. 

I  was  taken  along  nearly  to  the  end  of  the  corri- 
dor, and  there  halted.  The  guards  entered  into  a 
whispered  consultation,  then  opened  the  door  of  a 
cell  and  thrust  me  intoi  it.  The  iron  door  was 
slammed  shut.  I  heard  the  rasping  of  the  key  in 
the  lock  and  the  retreating  footsteps  of  the  guards. 
For  the  first  time  in  my  chequered  career,  I  occu- 
pied a  prison  cell. 

The  cell  was  not  large,  about  six  by  nine  feet.  It 
was  lighted  by  a  single  window,  only  a  few  inches 
wide,  and  sot  between  massive  blocks  of  stone.  The 
door  was  of  iron,  strong  and  secure.  The  cell  was 
just  about  as  secure  as  it  could  be  made. 

I  took  in  all  this  before  I  noticed  that  the  cell 
had  another  occupant  than  myself.  But,  notwith- 
standing that  I  had  failed  to  notice  it,  it  was  true. 
The  other  man  was  seated  upon  a  rough  stool.  He 
^;is  staring  at  the  floor,  a  very  picture  of  despair, 
lie  had  not  seen  me  at  all. 

He  was  a  slightly  built  young  man,  and  although 
his  care-worn  countenance  made  him  appear  some- 
what  older,  I  judged  that  he  was  not  more  than 
1  \\  rnty-five.  His  hair  was  light.  This  was  sufficient 
to  stamp  him  as  a  foreigner,  lie  was  completely 
absorbed  in  his  gloomy  meditations. 

In  a  dim  way  his  face  was  familiar.  In  a  moment 
it  all  came  to  me.  This  was  the  man  whose  picture 
Whitman  had  shown  me  at  San  Francisco.  The 


86  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

face  was  haggard  and  worn,  but  it  was  the  same. 
This  man  was  the  missing  Jack  Whitman ! 

"Jack  Whitman,  as  I'm  alive!"  I  exclaimed  un- 
guardedly. 

The  fellow  sprang  to  his  feet  at  my  words.  His 
countenance  showed  alarm  and  fear.  He  peered 
keenly  into  my  face,  but  the  glance  did  not  seem  to 
satisfy  him  in  the  least, 

"Which  of  the  devil's  imps  are  you  to  hound  me 
here?"  he  cried,  hoarsely. 

I  made  no  reply  to  this  greeting,  but  edged  away. 
I  began  to  believe  that  I  had  been  imprisoned  with 
a  raving  lunatic.  As  he  saw  this,  the  young  man 
seemed  to  hesitate.  When  he  spoke  again  it  was  in 
a  lower  key. 

"Are  you  a  detective?"   he  asked. 

"No,  I'm  not  a  detective,"  I  returned,  quickly. 
"I  came  to  Peru  to  aid  in  a  rebellion  against  the 
government.  We  fought  a  battle  with  the  govern- 
ment troops  down  near  Mollendo.  I  was  taken 
prisoner  and  brought  here." 

"I  thought  you  were  one  of  those  detectives  who 
are  dogging  me,"  he  explained  with  a  weak  laugh. 

"You  are  Jack  Whitman,  are  you  not?" 

"That's  what  they  call  me.  But  how  do  you 
come  to  know  me?  You  never  saw  me  before,  did 
you?" 

"No,  I  never  did,  but  I've  seen  your  picture." 

"That's  it,  is  it?  And  do  you  know — every- 
thing?" 

"Yes,  I  fancy  that  I  know  everything.  Your 
home  used  to  be  in  Carton,  state  of  Illinois.  You 
got  to  running  with  a  set  of  wild  fellows  and  got 
in  debt  for  gambling.  You  stole  the  bank's  money. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  87 

When  the  crime  came  out  you  fled.  You  went  first 
to  San  Francisco,  and  then  you  came  to  Peru." 

Jack's  face  was  pale  as  death.  His  hands  were 
clenched. 

"Hold  on !"  he  fairly  screamed.  "You  are  a  de- 
tective !  You  have  followed  me  here !  And  I  have 
given  myself  into  your  hands!  Great  God!  what 
shall  I  do?" 

I  half  expected  Jack  to  attack  me  in  his  tigerish 
ferocity,  but  he  managed  to  restrain  his  anger. 

"No,  my  friend,"  I  said,  speaking  as  calmly  as  I 
was  able,  "you  are  again  mistaken.  Once  more,  let 
me  assure  you  that  I  am  no  detective." 

"Then  who  in  God's  name  are  you?" 

"I  am  Richard  Rallston  Garnack,  adventurer, 
>ery  much  at  your  service,"  I  returned  with  a  mock 
bow. 

"Then  if  you  are  not  a  detective,  why  in  the 
name  of  heaven  have  you  dogged  me  to  this  place?" 

"I  have  not  dogged  you  here.  I  was  placed  here 
very  much  against  my  own  inclination.  If  it  were 
possible,  you  may  rest  assured  that  I  would  lose 
no  time  in  getting  away  from  here.  But  I  fancy  I 
would  have  welcome  news  for  you,  if  we  were  only 
out  of  this  prison." 

"I  don't  know  what  welcome  news  anyone  could 
have  for  me,"  Jack  returned  with  a  harsh  laugh. 

"It  concerns  a  certain  Nellie  Raymond,  who,  I 
understand,  was  a  sweetheart  of  yours." 

"What  do  you  know  of  her?"  Jack  asked  eagerly. 

"Simply  that  she  wants  to  find  out  where  you  are, 
and  then  that  she  wants  to  join  you." 

Jack  was  silent  for  several  minutes. 

"She  was  a  dear  girl,"  he  said  at  last,  with  tears 


88  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

in  his  eyes,  "and  God  knows  I  am  not  worthy  of 
her.  And  she  wishes  to  join  me,  criminal  though  I 
am?  If  it  only  could  be  so!  Great  God!  why  is  it 
that  I  have  to  languish  in  this  prison?  She  wishes 
it,  and  why  can't  I  join  her?" 

"I  only  wish  that  we  could  find  some  way  to  get 
out  of  this  place,"  I  said. 

"There's  no  use  wishing  it,"  Jack  returned  with  a 
sigh  of  resignation.  "I've  been  here  long  enough 
to  know  now  that  we  can't  get  out." 

"We  can  at  least  hope." 

"Hope  won't  cut  through  these  walls." 

A  short  silence  ensued.  We  were  both  absorbed 
in  our  meditations. 

"How  did  you  learn  all  this  about  me,  if  you 
never  saw  me?"  Jack  asked  suddenly.  "Have  you 
seen  Nellie?  Did  she  send  you  down  here  to  hunt 
me  up?" 

"No,  I  never  saw  her.  Your  brother  showed  me 
the  photograph.  He  is  in  this  prison  now.  He  came 
here  in  search  of  you." 

Jack  gave  a  little  cry  of  astonishment. 

"My  brother,  did  you  say?" 

"Yes,  your  brother,"  I  replied,  wondering  what 
was  the  matter. 

"Great  God !  what  can  this  mean?" 

"What's  the  matter?    I  don't  understand." 

"I  am  an  only  child.    I  have  no  brother." 

"You  have  no  brother !"  I  echoed,  incredulously. 

"I  have  no  brother,"  Jack  repeated.  "I  am  an 
only  child.  Both  my  parents  are  dead." 

For  a  few  minutes  I  was  too  much  surprised  to 
speak.  The  silence  became  oppressive.  I  broke  it 
by  explaining  how  Whitman  had  so  mysteriously 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  89 

disappeared  from  the  Sally  J.,  and  so  mysteriously 
reappeared  on  the  coaster,  and  the  surprising  tale 
he  told. 

"What  sort  of  looking  man  was  he?"  Jack  asked. 

I  described  him. 

"I  don't  know  of  anybody  who  answers  that  de- 
scription. There's  one  thing  certain,  though.  He's 
not  my  brother." 

"But  what  can  it  all  mean?"  I  continued,  vastly 
puzzled.  "What  reason  could  anyone  have  for 
palming  himself  off  as  your  brother?" 

"I  can't  imagine,  unless  the  fellow  was  a  detective 
who  has  come  down  here  to  hunt  me  up.  If  he's  a 
detective,  I  suppose  it's  all  up  with  me — that  is,  if 
you're  right  in  supposing  him  to  be  connected  with 
the  government." 

Evidently  Jack  was  in  mortal  fear  of  detectives. 

"He  didn't  look  like  a  detective." 

"Then  what  could  he  be?" 

"I  don't  know.  Surely  he  didn't  palm  himself 
off  as  your  brother  merely  for  the  sake  of  getting 
on  the  Sally  J.,  and  betraying  her  to  the  govern- 
ment." 

"I  don't  suppose  he  did." 

"He  seemed  to  want  to  emphasize  the  part  that 
Miss  Raymond  played.  Maybe  she  sent  him  to  hunt 
you  up." 

"But  why  did  he  want  to  say  he  was  my  brother?" 

"I  can't  explain  it.  But  how  do  you  come  to  be 
in  this  infernal  hole?" 

"It  isn't  much  of  a  story,"  Jack  returned,  "but 
I'll  tell  it.  My  one  desire  was  to  get  as  far  away 
from  the  United  States  as  possible.  I  came  to  Lima. 
I  ran  across  Senor  Paramonte  here.  He  took  a 


90  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

liking  to  me,  and  asked  me  to  join  him.  I  was  ready 
for  anything,  so  I  joined.  Just  after  that  I  wrote 
my  last  letter  back  to  Carton  to  Nellie.  We  were 
out  reconnoitering  one  day,  when  I  was  captued.  I 
was  brought  here,  and  I've  been  here  ever  since." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  91 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  ESCAPE  FROM  SANTA  ROSSA. 

Jack  and  I  had  become  the  very  best  of  friends. 
I  was  very  tired,  and  I  slept  soundly  that  night.  I 
was  awake  at  daybreak,  however,  feeling  much 
fresher  than  I  had  felt  the  evening  before.  Jack 
now  threw  off  his  moroseness.  He  laughed  and 
jested  in  the  very  best  of  spirts. 

Jack  was  relating  some  amusing  anecdote  when 
a  man  entered  with  our  dinners  upon  two  tin  plat- 
ters. The  meal  was  wretchedly  cooked,  but  we  pre- 
pared to  devour  it.  We  were  hungry  as  bears.  The 
man  stared  at  us  with  distinct  disapproval,  while 
Jack  finished  his  anecedote  and  I  burst  into  a  roar 
of  laughter. 

"You  fellows  had  better  be  saying  your  prayers," 
he  muttered.  "Dios!  this  conduct  don't  seem  right 
for  people  who  are  going  to  be  shot." 

I  felt  myself  turning  pale.  His  words  brought  a 
horrible  possibility  to  my  mind.  I  had  been  aiding 
in  a  revolution  against  the  government.  They 
would  be  justified  in  shooting  me! 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  asked.  "We  are  not  to 
be  shot,  are  we?" 

"Of  course  you  are  to  be  shot,"  he  returned. 
"What  else  could  you  expect?" 

"But  we  haven't  had  a  trial,"  I  persisted. 

"We  don't  try  revolutionists,"  he  said  with  a 
laugh.  "We  shoot  them." 


92  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Then  when  are  we  to  be  shot?" 

"Oh,  I  don't  know.  Not  all  of  you  at  one  time, 
they  say.  Some  to-morrow,  some  the  next  day  and 
so  on.  Sort  of  a  continuous  performance.  You 
don't  object,  I  hope." 

With  a  leering  grin  the  man  left,  and  the  door 
was  locked.  I  stared  at  Jack,  and  Jack  stared  at 
me.  Neither  spoke.  This  was  a  new  sensation.  We 
were  to  be  shot  as  traitors !  And  it  might  be  to- 
morrow! Of  course  they  had  a  perfect  right  to 
shoot  us;  no  one  would  deny  that.  This  was  to  be 
the  end  of  my  little  life  drama.  I  had  little  foreseen 
this  gloomy  end  when  I  accepted  Paramonte's  glow- 
ing offer.  He  had  promised  to  make  me  great 
among  men;  and  here  I  was  in  a  prison  cell,  a  cap- 
tured revolutionist,  condemned  to  be  shot.  There 
was  nothing  to  hope  for.  Unconsciously  my  mind 
wandered  back  to  Carmencita.  Would  she  care 
when  she  heard  of  my  death?  A  great  lump  rose 
in  my  throat  and  choked  me. 

All  our  mirth  was  effectually  killed.  The  stone 
walls  of  the  cell  echoed  no  laugh  now.  We  scarcely 
spoke  a  word  during  the  entire  day.  We  were  over- 
come by  the  suddenness  of  the  thing.  We  could 
only  sit  there  and  stare  at  each  other. 

The  sun  went  down  and  darkness  settled  upon 
the  earth.  It  might  be  that  we  would  never  see 
another  sunset.  I  tried  to  sleep  during  the  night, 
but  I  did  not  succeed  very  well.  Along  towards 
morning,  I  dozed  off,  but  my  slumbers  were  so  full 
of  visions  of  scaffolds  and  executions  and  all  the 
horror  of  death  that  I  was  glad  when  I  awoke  and 
found  it  all  a  dream. 

It  had  all  come  so  suddenly,  so  unexpectedly! 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  93 

But  a  few  days  ago  I  was  alive  to  all  the  hope  of  a 
brilliant  future,  and  now  I  was  condemned  to 
death !  I  had  faced  death  before,  but  never  in  this 
form.  I  could  hardly  conceive  of  what  the  death 
was  to  be.  Would  I  suffer?  Great  God!  I  knew 
that  the  pain  of  death  could  not  be  greater  than  the 
agony  of  suspense  that  now  possessed  me.  I  did  not 
think  of  what  the  future  would  be.  I  did  not  realize 
that  I  would  in  an  instant  fathom  the  mysteries  of  a 
future  existence  and  appear  before  the  God  of  the 
universe.  I  did  not  recall  or  repent  the  dark  deeds 
of  my  chequered  past ;  I  had  only  an  all-consuming 
curiosity  to  know  what  death  would  be  like.  And 
perhaps  I  would  know  before  many  hours  passed! 

Directly  I  heard  men  tramping  about  in  the  corri- 
dor without.  Doubtless  they  had  come  for  those 
who  were  to  be  shot  this  morning.  I  held  my  breath 
in  suspense,  but  they  did  not  enter  our  cell.  When 
their  footsteps  died  away  it  was  as  if  a  great  weight 
had  been  lifted  from  my  back.  We  had  at  least  one 
more  day  of  life  before  us.  The  sky  was  growing 
brighter  and  the  mountains  were  washed  in  crim- 
son. Impelled  by  an  impulse  I  could  not  resist,  I 
crossed  to  the  window  and  watched  the  rising  sun. 
Perhaps,  I  thought,  I  would  never  have  a  chance  to 
watch  it  again. 

In  a  moment  I  caught  sight  of  a  party  of  men  as 
they  appeared  in  my  range  of  vision  from  the  nar- 
row window.  Six  prisoners  came  first.  Their  hands 
were  tied  and  resignation  was  written  upon  their 
faces.  The  jailer  and  some  of  the  guards  were  con- 
ducting them.  A  squad  of  soldiers  brought  up  the 
procession.  These  men  were  going  to  be  shot! 

I  started  as  I  recognized  the  pale,  drawn,  but  still 


94  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

handsome  face  of  Major  Barrez.  The  rest  were  also 
men  who  had  fought  with  me  at  Tambo.  They  were 
conducted  across  the  courtyard  and  lined  up  against 
the  wall. 

Spellbound,  I  watched  the  grim  preparation.  The 
scene  sickened  me,  yet  I  could  not  tear  myself  from 
the  window.  One  of  the  prisoners  was  on  his  knees 
praying  piteously  for  them  to  spare  his  life.  I  re- 
membered the  fellow.  A  week  ago  I  had  seen  him 
fighting  like  a  fiend  incarnate.  He  was  a  brave 
man,  not  afraid  to  meet  deatli  in  battle;  but  now 
— the  ignominy  of  the  death  and  the  consciousness 
that  he  could  not  escape  it,  that  was  what  made  a 
coward  of  him. 

The  brutal  jailer  kicked  the  man  who  was  kneel- 
ing, and  jerked  him  to  his  feet.  The  poor  fellow 
was  very  pale,  but  he  threw  back  his  head  and  stood 
proudly  erect.  His  momentary  weakness  was  over. 
The  eyes  of  the  prisoners  were  bandaged.  The 
guards  were  slow  about  this.  Indeed,  it  appeared 
to  be  their  purpose  to  prolong  the  thing  as  much  as 
possible. 

The  doomed  men  had  taken  their  last  look  upon 
the  blue  sky  and  the  green  hills.  I  wondered  what 
they  were  thinking  of  at  that  moment.  Was  it  a 
wife  or  a  mother  or  a  sweetheart  whose  face  ap- 
peared before  the  eyes  that  would  never  behold 
their  loved  ones  again?  Perhaps  those  loved  ones 
were  even  at  that  moment  praying  to  God  to  pre- 
serve the  men  who  in  another  moment  would  be  in 
eternity. 

"For  God's  sake,  hurry !"  one  of  them  cried  out. 

One  of  the  soldiers  of  the  firing  squad,  a  mere 
boy,  turned  his  face  away.  "Oh,  my  God!  I  can't 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  95 

stand  this!"  he  cried.  A  stern  sergeant  ordered 
him  back  into  line. 

The  soldiers  had  raised  their  rifles.  A  moment 
of  suspense,  and  the  command  to  fire  was  given. 
The  rifles  cracked,  and  the  men  to  whom  life  had 
been  so  sweet  but  a  moment  before  sank  to  the 
ground.  They  now  knew  what  no  man  has  ever 
known  and  lived — what  it  means  to  die.  The  mys- 
tery of  the  great  future  was  no  longer  a  mystery 
to  them.  They  had  solved  the  problem,  but  what 
the  answer  was  none  could  tell. 

Horror-stricken,  I  tore  myself  away  from  the 
heart-rending  yet  fascinating  sight.  Some  time — 
perhaps  to-morrow — we  were  to  die  thus!  We 
would  suffer  as  these  men  had  suffered !  If  I  had 
had  a  revolver  I  believe  I  would  have  blown  my 
brains  out  and  been  done  with  it. 

"If  we  could  only  get  away  from  here !"  I  groaned 
at  last. 

"There's  no  use  to  think  of  that,"  Jack  said.  "It's 
impossible.  There's  no  way  we  could  possibly 
escape.  No,  we  are  doomed.  We  might  as  well  have 
our  backs  to  a  wall  right  now." 

"Surely,  we  are  not  to  stay  here  and  never  make 
an  effort  to  save  our  lives?  Great  God!  we  must 
escape !" 

"We  can't,  though." 

"I  don't  care  if  we  are  discovered.  I'd  a  devil 
of  a  sight  rather  be  killed  fighting  than  stand  blind- 
folded with  my  back  to  a  wall  and  let  a  lot  of  the 
infernal  dagoes  riddle  me.  That's  the  way  I  feel 
about  it." 

"That's  so,"  agreed  Jack;  "we  can't  more  than 
get  killed,  and  we'll  get  killed  anyhow." 


96  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Jack,  I  believe  I've  got  a  plan  that'll  work,"  I 
exclaimed  eagerly,  after  a  period  of  thought. 

Then  I  outlined  a  plan  which  had  suddenly  come 
to  me.  The  chances  of  success  were  slim ;  but  ours 
was  a  position  in  which  any  risk  was  to  be  taken. 

"We'll  do  it!"  Jack  cried,  excitedly,  "and  this 
very  night,  too!  To-morrow  may  be  too  late." 

AVe  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  perfecting  our 
plan.  It  was  bold  and  desperate,  but  still  it  was 
simple.  We  were  confident  of  success.  At  any 
rate,  we  could  die  in  the  attempt.  That  night  our 
maddening  anxiety  made  the  minutes  pass  like 
hours.  The  next  few  hours  would  decide  every- 
thing. We  were  conscious  of  nothing  save  that  we 
were  going  to  make  a  bold  stroke  for  freedom. 

At  last,  when  it  was  about  midnight,  Jack  feigned 
violent  sickness.  He  groaned  and  writhed  and 
kicked  as  if  he  were  suffering  the  greatest  agony. 
I  had  to  caution  him  against  overdoing  the  thing. 
In  a  moment  we  heard  the  tramp  of  a  guard  with- 
out. Jack  increased  his  groans  until  they  were 
certain  to  be  heard.  The  guard  stopped  and  lis- 
tened. Jack  put  more  fervor  in  his  groans.  The 
guard  started  off  and  my  heart  sank.  He  changed 
his  mind,  though,  and  returned. 

" What  the  devil's  the  matter  with  you  fellows  in 
there?"  he  growled  out  roughly.  "Shut  up  that 
blubbering  now,  or  I'll  have  both  of  you  reported 
and  put  in  the  dungeon." 

Jack  was  alarmed  at  the  threat,  but  he  only 
groaned  the  louder. 

''Oh,  sir,"  I  cried  out  in  the  most  pathetic  tone 
I  could  assume,  "my  comrade  is  in  the  most  dread- 
ful agony.  I  am  afraid  that  he  has  been  poisoned." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  97 

The  guard  was  evidently  considering  the  matter. 

"Oh,  sir,"  I  continued,  growing  more  distracted, 
"won't  you  please  come  in  and  see  if  you  can't  help 
me  with  him?  I  don't  know  what  to  do." 

The  guard  must  have  been  a  kind-hearted  man. 
J  heard  him  insert  the  key  into  the  lock,  and  then 
the  bolt  fell  back.  Our  plan  had  succeeded  thus 
far.  My  heart  beat  rapidly.  The  door  was  slowly 
pulled  open,  and  the  face  of  the  guard  appeared. 
Jack  simulated  the  intensest  suffering.  I  tried  to 
hold  him  to  the  floor,  while  he  writhed  as  if  in  con- 
vulsions. The  guard  stood  hesitating  in  the  door- 
way. 

"Do  come  and  help  me,"  I  cried  out. 

The  guard's  humanitarian  instincts  prevailed. 
He  opened  the  door  a  little  wider  and  came  in.  He 
expected  no  treachery.  My  heart  smote  me,  but  it 
was  life  or  death.  He  came  up  close  beside  Jack 
and  knelt  down.  He  must  have  seen  that  Jack's 
suffering  was  assumed,  for  he  started  to  his  feet 
with  a  cry  of  alarm. 

He  was  too  late,  though.  Before  he  was  fully 
erect  I  sprang  upon  him,  and  grasped  his  throat. 
He  wanted  to  cry  out,  but  could  not.  I  bore  him 
to  the  floor,  and  together  we  quickly  had  him  bound 
and  gagged.  He  was  powerless  now. 

"We'll  get  out  of  this  thing  now,"  I  said.  "Things 
are  going  our  way  altogether." 

With  deft  fingers  I  went  through  the  guard's 
pockets.  First  I  found  two  revolvers,  large  and 
formidable,  which  he  had  been  unable  to  use.  I 
handed  one  to  Jack;  the  other  I  pocketed  myself, 
I  found  nothing  more, 


98  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"The  devil!"  I  exclaimed.  "What  has  he  done 
with  the  keys?" 

As  I  glanced  around  I  caught  sight  of  the  bunch 
of  keys  hanging  from  the  one  in  the  lock  of  the 
door.  In  a  moment  I  had  them  in  my  hands.  There 
were  quite  a  number  of  them  on  a  large  iron  ring. 

"Inside  of  ten  minutes  we  will  be  out  of  this  ac- 
cursed place,"  I  said  exultantly. 

Happily  for  our  welfare — and  perhaps  his  own 
— there  was  no  other  guard  on  duty  in  the  corridor. 
We  closed  and  locked  the  door  of  our  cell,  leaving 
the  guard  in  it.  I  thought  of  trying  to  rescue  some 
of  the  other  prisoners,  but  upon  reflection  we  de- 
cided not  to  attempt  it.  It  would  only  lessen  our 
own  chance  of  escaping. 

With  fast  beating  hearts  we  hurried  along  the 
corridor.  The  light  from  the  two  sooty  lamps,  one 
at  either  end  of  the  corridor,  was  at  best  but  dim 
and  uncertain.  One  of  the  lamps  we  had  already 
extinguished.  The  other  would  be  extinguished  be- 
fore the  outer  door  was  opened. 

We  were  quickly  at  the  great  iron  door  that  led 
to  the  court-yard  and  to  freedom.  I  thought  there 
was  a  guard  just  outside.  We  proceeded  with  all 
caution.  Our  plan  was  to  suddenly  fall  upon  this 
guard  and  overpower  him  before  he  gave  an  alarm. 
It  was  risky,  but  we  had  to  take  risks. 

The  third  key  unlocked  the  door.  We  listened 
intently,  but  could  hear  nothing.  Jack  extinguished 
the  remaining  lamp,  leaving  the  corridor  in  total 
darkness.  Then  we  pulled  the  great  door  open.  It 
was  so  heavy  and  moved  so  hard  on  its  hinges  that 
it  took  our  combined  strength  to  swing  it  round. 
One  man  could  not  have  budged  it.  As  the  door 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  99 

opened  a  gust  of  cold  wind  entered,  almost  taking 
my  breath  away.  Several  big  drops  of  rain  plashed 
against  our  faces. 

A  terrible  storm  was  raging.  One  of  the  terrific 
rainstorms  which  at  long  intervals  sweep  over  the 
foot-hill  country  had  come  up.  A  cold,  icy  rain  was 
pouring  down  in  torrents.  It  was  driven  hither  and 
thither  by  the  high  wind.  There  is  nothing  a  Peru- 
vian so  detests  as  a  rainstorm. 

"It's  storming  awfully,"  I  commented.  "I  can't 
see  anything  of  the  guard.  lie  must  have  deserted 
his  post  to  seek  some  convenient  shelter,  as  it  were, 
where  he  can  keep  his  precious  body  out  of  the  rain. 
And  for  my  part,  I  don't  blame  him." 

The  night  was  dark  and  we  could  hardly  distin- 
guish objects  two  feet  from  our  faces.  Had  the 
guard  been  only  a  short  distance  away  he  could 
not  have  seen  us. 

We  turned  up  the  collars  of  our  coats  and  pulled 
down  the  brims  of  our  hats  so  as  to  protect  our 
fates  as  much  as  possible  from  the  fury  of  the 
storm.  Then  we  started  across  the  courtyard.  By 
clinging  close  to  the  high  wall  we  managed  to  pro- 
tect ourselves  in  a  measure  from  the  wind  and  rain. 
In  a  few  minutes  we  were  standing  in  the  great 
gateway.  I  produced  the  keys  and  tried  to  unlock 
the  gate. 

Directly  a  vivid  flash  of  lightning  lit  up  the 
prison  and  all  its  surroundings.  It  disclosed  our 
presence  to  a  guard  a  short  distance  away. 

"Ho,  there,  who  are  you?"  cried  the  guard,  un- 
certain as  to  whether  he  should  shoot. 

"Jack,  not  one  of  these  keys  will  fit  this  lock,"  I 
announce^  in  the  same  breath. 


100  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Ho,  there,"  again  called  out  the  guard.  "Who 
are  you  and  what  are  you  doing?" 

We  made  no  answer  to  the  preemptory  hail,  but 
we  did  move  hastily  away.  The  next  moment  there 
was  a  sudden  report  and  a  bright  spurt  of  reddish 
flame  cut  the  darkness. 

The  rifle  was  aimed  low.  The  bullet  struck  a 
pool  of  water  just  at  my  feet,  splashing  some  of  it 
into  my  face.  We  did  not  return  the  shot,  although 
I  was  tempted  to  do  so.  We  hurried  away,  keeping 
close  under  the  shelter  of  the  wall.  The  wall  itself 
was  so  smooth  that  scaling  it  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Jack  was  shaking  from  fear.  He  kept  saying 
to  me  that  we  were  lost.  I  wanted  to  kick  him 
soundly. 

The  report  of  the  rifle  had  roused  the  other 
guards.  In  spite  of  the  howling  storm,  lights  were 
flashing  all  over  the  courtyard.  Our  situation  was 
desperate  indeed.  For  my  part,  I  was  determined 
never  to  be  taken  alive. 

Directty  another  brilliant  flash  of  lightning  re- 
vealed our  position  anew.  A  few  shots  were  fired 
at  us,  but  they  all  flew  wide. 

"The  dickens !"  Jack  suddenly  exclaimed,  as  he 
stumbled  over  something  in  the  darkness,  "what's 
this?" 

"Just  as  I  thought,"  I  cried,  after  a  moment's  ex- 
amination. "It's  a  ladder.  I  remember  that  I  saw 
it  when  thev  brought  me  here.  Thev  were  fixing  the 
walL" 

I  set  the  ladder  up  against  the  wall.  It  was 
short  and  lacked  several  feet  of  reaching  the  top 
of  the  wall. 

"Now,  hurry  up  it,"  I  cried  in  Jack's  ear. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  101 

That  young  man  did  not  wait  for  a  second  bid- 
ding, but  went  up  the  ladder  like  a  cat.  In  a 
moment  he  was  standing  on  the  topmost  round.  He 
threw  out  his  hands,  caught  hold  of  something  on 
the  other  side  of  the  wall  and  drew  himself  up. 

"For  God's  sake,  hurry !"  I  cried,  as  the  guards 
swarmed  closer  around  me.  "Drop  on  over !  I  will 
join  you." 

Jack  clumsily  scrambled  to  the  top  of  the  wall. 
Just  as  he  dropped  over,  I  started  up  the  ladder. 
Just  then  one  of  the  guards  rushed  up  and  grabbed 
me  by  the  arm. 

"Hold  on !"  he  announced  in  a  tone  of  confidence. 
"I've  got  you  now !" 

"Damn  you,  take  that !"  I  cried,  drawing  my  re- 
volver and  firing  point  blank  at  the  man's  head, 
lie  dropped  to  the  ground  like  a  log. 

The  shot  disclosed  my  position  to  the  remainder 
of  the  guards.  They  now  rushed  upon  me.  But  1 
was  active,  and  I  was  at  the  top  of  the  ladder  before 
they  were  at  the  foot.  I  swung  myself  to  the  top  of 
the  wall  and  dropped  over  before  they  had  a  chance 
to  fire  at  me. 

••Whew!  but  that  was  a  close  shave!"  I  ex- 
claimed. 

"Yes,  it  was  that — but  we  must  get  away  from 
here.  Will  we  make  for  the  town  or  for  the  forest 
yonder?" 

"To  the  forest  by  all  means.  Maybe  we  can  get 
up  in  the  mountains  and  hide  there  till  we  can  join 
Paramonte  or  get  out  of  this  country." 

We  hurried  toward  the  forest.  The  rain  was 
slackening  up,  but  a  cold,  cutting  wind  was  still 
sweeping  down  from  the  mountains.  We  stumbled 


102  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

along  over  logs  and  rocks,  and  often  plunged  into 
pools  of  water,  but  still  we  pressed  on. 

The  almost  continuous  flashes  of  lightning  mate- 
rially aided  us  in  making  progress,  but  they  also 
disclosed  our  position  to  the  guards  about  the 
prison.  They  sent  many  bullets  after  us,  but  none 
of  them  did  any  damage. 

Finally  we  arrived  on  the  borders  of  the  forest. 
Leaving  the 'prison  and  sleeping  town  behind  us, 
Ave  plunged  boldly  into  the  forest.  The  darkness 
here  was  even  more  intense  than  in  the  open.  The 
trees,  however,  broke  much  of  the  force  of  the 
wind. 

Our  passage  through  the  thick  forest  was  by  no 
means  an  easy  matter.  The  darkness  was  intense 
after  the  lightning  ceased.  We  could  not  distin- 
guish anything  at  a  greater  distance  than  a  few 
feet.  We  often  collided  with  trees  and  brambly 
bushes.  Soon  our  heads  were  aching  and  our  hands 
and  faces  were  covered  with  scratches  and  bruises. 

We  pushed  steadily  onward  and  made  fairly  good 
speed.  We  climbed  steadily  up  the  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, hoping  when  daylight  came  to  find  a  place 
where  we  could  conceal  ourselves  till  we  could  find 
a  way  to  get  out  of  the  region. 

After  two  or  three  hours  of  this  kind  of  travel, 
we  struck  a  road,  or  rather  a  narrow  mule  path.  It 
led  through  the  forest,  and  seemed  to  cross  the 
mountain.  We  decided  to  follow  it.  We  followed 
it  to  the  summit  of  a  pass,  and  then  started  down 
on  the  other  side.  The  mountain  was  merely  a  sort 
of  a  spur  of  Misti,  and  was  not  very  high. 

Just  about  daybreak  we  arrived  at  a  point  where 
the  trail  we  were  following  crossed  a  narrow  moun- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  103 

tain  stream.  We  were  by  this  time  many  miles 
from  Arequipa.  We  were  well  nigh  exhausted  by 
our  continuous  exertions,  though,  and  we  decided 
to  rest.  We  crept  off  a  few  rods,  until  we  were  out 
of  sight  of  the  trail,  and  then  we  stretched  ourselves 
out  under  the  shelter  of  a  large  tree.  We  were  soon 
in  deep  slumber. 

The  sun  was  well  up  in  the  heavens  when  I  awoke. 
My  body  was  sore,  my  head  was  aching,  and  my 
joints  were  stiff.  Jack  was  already  awake.  We 
were  refreshed  by  our  sleep,  and  started  off  again. 
We  did  not  want  to  follow  the  trail  for  fear  we 
would  meet  some  one ;  so  we  hurried  along  the  side 
of  the  mountain  through  the  forests. 


104  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    X. 

A  CAMPAIGN  OF  IMPUDENCE. 

The  valley  below  us  was  very  thinly  settled,  and 
we  decided  to  risk  going  down  into  it.  The  road 
to  the  south  lay  through  it,  and,  to  tell  the  truth, 
we  were  becoming  desperately  hungry.  If  we  met 
any  travelers  we  could  doubtless  conceal  ourselves, 
or  at  least  act  so  as  to  disarm  suspicion. 

Pretty  soon  we  were  down  in  the  valley  following 
along  the  narrow  road,  or  rather  trail.  A  clear 
mountain  stream  ran  along  it  and  we  slaked  our 
thirst. 

For  some  time  we  continued  down  the  valley  of 
the  clear  mountain  stream  without  meeting  any 
one.  The  valley  was  lonely  and  the  road  little  trav- 
eled. Directly  we  came  in  sight  of  a  great  haci- 
enda, though.  The  valley  broadened  out  here,  and 
was  filled  with  cultivated  fields.  The  hacienda  was 
an  extensive  one.  The  main  building  was  of  con- 
siderable size,  and  it  was  surrounded  by  a  number 
of  other  buildings. 

"Look  at  that  house  yonder,"  I  remarked.  "I 
guess  it  is  a  sugar  plantation  or  something  of  the 
sort.  It  has  a  quiet,  hospitable  look.  I'm  beastly 
hungry.  Let's  go  up  there  and  try  to  get  something 
to  eat." 

"Won't  it  be  dangerous?" 

"I  reckon  not.  They  haven't  heard  of  our  most 
wonderful  and  daring  escape  up  here  yet,  I  don't 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  105 

reckon.  I'll  make  up  a  yarn  to  tell  them  and  get 
'em  to  give  us  something  to  eat.  Anyhow,  I'd  as 
lief  be  shot  as  starved  to  death." 

"I  don't  guess  there's  any  danger." 

We  inspected  the  house  closely  from  the  road  be- 
fore we  went  up  to  it.  I  was  about  decided  that 
there  was  no  one  at  home.  The  whole  place  looked 
deserted.  We  could  not  see  anybody  stirring  about. 
In  case  there  was  no  one  at  home,  I  explained  to 
Jack,  we  would  break  in  and  take  whatever  we 
wanted.  In  my  mind  I  had  concocted  a  wonderful 
tale  of  misfortune  to  relate  to  whoever  met  us  at 
the  house,  if,  indeed,  anyone  was  there. 

I  went  up  boldly  to  the  front  door  and  knocked. 
Jack  followed  with  less  confidence.  At  first  there 
was  no  response  to  my  knock.  I  made  my  presence 
known  again.  This  time  I  heard  footfalls  rapidly 
approaching  from  within. 

In  a  moment  the  door  was  opened.  A  young 
female  servant  peered  out.  When  she  saw  our  bat- 
tered faces  and  tattered  clothing  the  girl  started  to 
slam  the  door  in  my  face.  She  evidently  took  us 
for  tramps. 

"Senorita,"  I  said  in  my  most  pleasant  tone, 
"can't  you  assist  two  poor,  unfortunate  men?  We 
were  traveling  last  evening  just  this  side  of  Are- 
quipa  when  we  were  set  upon  by  a  baud  of  robbers. 
We  made  a  desperate  resistance,  but  they  were  ten 
to  one,  and  they  overpowered  us.  Look  at  our  faces. 
Don't  you  see  how  they  assaulted  and  maltreated 
us?  Haven't  you  some  mercy  for  two  poor,  unfor- 
tunate travelers?  They  took  everything  we  had, 
our  mules,  our  money — everything.  We  are  starv- 
ing. If  you  will  but  relieve  our  hunger,  when  we 


106  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

get  back  to  our  homes  we  will  see  that  your  noble 
generosity  is  rewarded." 

The  girl  was  deeply  impressed  by  our  tale  of  woe. 
Sympathy  for  our  supposed  misfortunes  was 
plainly  written  upon  her  face. 

"Everybody  is  away  from  home,"  she  said  in  some 
uncertainty,  "except  the  young  mistress  from  Are- 
quipa.  She  will  help  you.  I  will  call  her." 

I  started  to  remonstrate,  but  the  girl  had  disap- 
peared. I  was  afraid  that  her  mistress  would  see 
through  our  pretensions.  She  was  gone  but  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  returned  with  a  woman,  to  whom 
she  was  relating  our  tale.  The  woman  glanced  at 
us  sympathetically.  I  remember  that  her  eyes  were 
very  beautiful.  She  was  not  tall,  but  she  had  a 
sweet,  sad  face,  and  I  have  never  seen  a  more  per- 
fect figure.  That  she  was  indeed  a  very  beautiful 
woman  could  not  be  doubted. 

I  made  a  low  bow  before  the  woman.  Jack  stood 
there  rooted  by  his  surprise  and  the  woman's 
beauty.  I  gave  him  a  warning  glance,  and  he  too 
bowed  low. 

"You  have  met  with  a  sad  misfortune,"  the 
woman  said  in  a  rich  voice,  full  of  sympathy. 

"Yes,  madam,"  I  replied  with  a  lugubrious  sigh, 
"we  have  met  with  the  direst  misfortune;  but  since 
that  misfortune  has  given  us  the  pleasure  of  look- 
ing upon  your  beautiful  face,  we  are  already  re- 
paid for  all  that  we  have  lost." 

The  woman  blushed  and  smiled  prettily.  She  was 
evidently  not  at  all  displeased  with  my  affected 
flattery. 

"Tell  me  how  it  all  happened,"  she  said,  sym- 
pathetically. 


A  MAX  OF  AMBITION.  107 

I  enlarged  upon  the  tale  I  had  told  the  maid.  We 
were  peaceable  travelers  on  our  way  home  from 
Arequipa,  when  suddenly  a  number  of  fierce,  armed 
men  had  sprung  out  and  attacked  us.  We  made  a 
most  desperate  resistance.  We  killed  two  of  the 
fellows,  but  the  rest  overcame  us  with  their  num- 
bers. They  took  everything  we  had.  Then  they  beat 
us  shamefully,  and  when  we  were  insensible  cast 
us  away  into  the  forest.  The  rain  roused  us  from 
our  state  of  insensibility.  With  great  suffering  we 
made  our  way  to  this  place. 

All  this  was  told  in  the  most  glowing  terms  I 
could  command,  and  embellished  with  eloquent  ges- 
tures and  flattering  allusions  to  her  own  beauty.  I 
could  see  that  we  were  making  a  very  deep  impres- 
sion upon  the  woman. 

"Poor,  unfortunate  men !"  she  exclaimed,  looking 
at  us  pityingly.  "You  have  suffered  much !" 

"If  you  would  only  supply  us  with  a  few  bites  to 
eat,  we  may  be  able  to  get  to  our  home — that  is,  if 
everybody  on  the  way  is  as  generous  as  you  will  be." 

"You  noble  man,"  the  woman  exclaimed  warmly. 
"You  are  as  modest  as  you  are  brave.  After  all 
that  you  have  suffered  you  ask  only  for  a  bite  to 
eat.  You  shall  be  treated  as  you  deserve." 

Her  last  words  were  a  little  ambiguous.  I  had  a 
guilty  conscience,  and  I  started  back  a  step  or  two. 
I  feared  she  meant  that  we  would  be  treated  as  the 
impostors  we  really  were.  However,  the  next  words 
put  me  at  ease. 

"You  shall  have  the  very  best  that  the  house 
affords,"  she  continued.  "Enter  and  be  welcome! 
Dinner  will  be  served  in  a  few  minutes.  Let  me  see, 
your  name  is — 


108  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Bellarez,"  I  returned  hastily,  "and  this  is  my 
friend  Senor  Jances,"  turning  to  Jack. 

Jack  had  by  this  time  caught  some  of  my  infec- 
tion. He  made  a  low  bow,  which  was  imitated  in  a 
lesser  edition  by  the  woman. 

"Enter,  senors,"  she  continued.  "The  rest  of  the 
household  are  at  Senor  Bascanto's  on  a  visit.  They 
will  not  be  back  till  evening.  I  had  a  headache  and 
did  not  care  to  go  with  them.  I  am  merely  on  a 
visit  here  myself.  It  is  my  father's  hacienda,  I 
live  at  Arequipa.  But  a  Pardo  would  never  have 
turned  away  such  noble  men  as  you  are  empty 
handed." 

This  warm  welcome  quite  disconcerted  me  for  a 
while. 

"You  are  too  good,"  I  managed  to  stammer  out. 

She  led  the  way  into  the  house.  We  followed 
as  in  a  dream.  The  woman  never  suspected  that 
we  had  not  told  her  the  truth.  She  led  the  way  to 
the  drawing-room.  The  room  was  finely  furnished. 
We  felt  quite  out  of  place  with  our  torn  clothes 
and  dirty  appearance.  Jack  was  speechless  with 
wonder,  but  I  managed  to  make  a  few  coherent 
remarks. 

"Ah,  my  unfortunate  friends,"  the  little  woman 
said,  after  some  disconnected  talk,  "the  robbers 
took  all  your  money,  did  they  not?" 

"They  took  everything  we  had,"  I  replied,  lugu- 
briously. 

"You  will  need  money  for  the  rest  of  your  jour- 
ney." 

"You  know  they  say  that  necessity  is  the  mother 
of  invention.  We  will  have  to  get  along  without  it." 

"No,  indeed,  you  will  not,"  she  returned,  impul- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  109 

sively.  "It  shall  never  be  said  that  a  Pardo  turned 
away  an  unfortunate  man  empty  handed." 

"Oh,  madam,  we — 

Bestowing  a  sweet  smile  upon  me,  the  little  wom- 
an swept  out  of  the  room.  Jack  looked  at  me  dubi- 
ously. The  thing  had  gone  much  further  than  I 
had  ever  anticipated.  We  had  come  to  get  a  bite  of 
something  to  eat,  and  here  we  were  treated  as 
guests. 

In  a  minute  the  woman  returned.  She  carried 
in  her  hand  a  small  purse  well  filled  with  gold. 

"Take  this,"  she  said,  proffering  the  purse  to  me. 
"It  will  help  you  on  your  journey." 

"Oh,  madam,"  I  cried,  as  if  overcome  by  her  gen- 
erosity, "but  I  cannot  take  your  gold.  I— 

I  had  no  notion  of  not  taking  it,  though. 

"I  understand  your  feelings,"  said  the  woman, 
"but  you  must  take  it.  You  can't  get  along  without 
money." 

"Oh,  how  can  we  ever  repay  all  of  your  kind- 
ness?" I  cried,  taking  the  gold. 

"By  not  mentioning  them." 

"You  are  an  angel  sent  down  from  heaven." 

"You  will  find  me  a  very  earthly  angel,"  she  said 
with  a  musical  laugh. 

We  conversed  upon  various  topics  for  consider- 
able time.  The  woman  seemed  much  interested  in 
me.  This  was  flattering  to  me.  After  some  time 
dinner  was  announced,  and  we  passed  into  the 
dining  room.  With  the  best  grace  I  could  command 
I  offered  the  lady  my  arm.  She  accepted  it  with  a 
smile  that  was  heavenly  and  that  set  my  heart 
throbbing  strangely. 

Jack  followed  us  like  a  man  in  a  dreain.     He 


110  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

was  not  at  all  sure  that  lie  was  not  dreaming.  I 
have  rarely  eaten  of  a  more  delicious  repast  tliau 
the  one  set  before  us  now.  The  dining  room  would 
have  done  honor  to  a  palace.  On  the  walls  were 
portraits  of  many  beautiful  women  and  gay  caval- 
iers, ancestors,  no  doubt,  of  our  beautiful  hostess. 

One  of  the  windows  of  the  dining  room  opened 
upon  the  road  over  which  we  had  just  passed.  I 
glanced  out  through  the  window,  wondering  what 
the  lady  would  think  if  she  knew  whom  she  was 
entertaining.  I  caught  sight  of  a  party  of  soldiers 
approaching  along  the  road.  They  say  that  guilt 
makes  cowards  of  us  all.  To  my  mind  there  could 
be  but  one  meaning  attached  to  the  approach  of 
the  soldiers.  They  were  following  us  and  had  found 
out  where  we  were.  A  spasm  of  fright  passed  over 
me.  I  let  fall  a  glass  of  wine,  which  spilled  over  the 
table,  leaving  a  red  stain.  I  sprang  to  my  feet  in 
alarm.  My  chair  was  overthrown,  and  it  fell  to  the 
floor  with  a  great  clatter.  Our  charming  hostess 
looked  up  at  me  in  utter  astonishment. 

"Why  Senor  Bellarez,"  she  exclaimed,  "what  is 
the  matter?" 

We  were  in  a  bad  hole.  I  am  usually  cool  in 
danger,  but  the  experiences  of  the  night  before  had 
shattered  my  nerves.  I  seemed  to  have  lost  all  pow- 
er of  reasoning.  It  never  occurred  to  me  that  the 
soldiers  might  not  Be  after  us;  or  that  they  might 
not  know  of  our  presence  at  the  hacienda.  I  thought 
that  everything  was  known  to  them.  Jack  had  seen 
them  and  was  trembling.  Our  hostess  had  also 
risen. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked  again. 

"Do  you  see  those  soldiers  yonder?" 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  Ill 

She  saw  them.  Her  eyes  glittered  and  I  saw  that 
she  had  suspicioned  the  truth. 

"We  must  not  be  seen  by  those  soldiers,"  I  said 
as  calmly  as  I  could.  "Do  you  understand?" 

k'Why  not?  You  can  put  them  in  pursuit  of  the 
robbers  who  attacked  you."  She  laughed  softly. 

I  saw  that  the  only  way  out  of  the  scrape  was  to 
tell  her  the  truth.  She  might  sympathize  with  us 
then  and  help  us.  If  she  did  not,  I  had  my  revolver 
in  my  pocket.  That  would  quiet  her  till  the  danger 
was  past. 

"We  have  been  deceiving  you,"  I  said  hurriedly. 
"We  were  engaged  in  a  rebellion  and  were  taken 
prisoners.  They  took  us  to  Santa  Rossa  prison. 
We  were  to  have  been  shot,  but  we  escaped  last 
night.  We  merely  came  here  to  get  something  to 
eat.  Don't  betray  us  to  those  soldiers." 

The  woman  was  in  doubt. 

"We  must  be  going,"  I  said.  "You  will  not  tell 
them  that  we  have  been  here?" 

"No,  I  will  not  betray  you.  Do  you  want  me  to 
hide  you  in  the  house  somewhere?" 

It  was  my  turn  to  hesitate. 

"No,"  I  decided,  "you  mustn't  do  that.  If  you 
hid  us  and  we  were  discovered  it  might  go  hard 
with  you.  We  don't  want  to  get  you  in  any  trouble." 

"I  am  willing  to  do  anything  to  help  you,  even  if 
you  did  deceive  me  so  shamefully,"  she  said,  with 
a  look  of  reproach  in  her  beautiful  eyes. 

"You  can't  do  much.  If  the  soldiers  come  here, 
though,  you  must  not  let  them  know  that  we  have 
been  here." 

"I  will  not" 


112  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Can  we  get  through  the  canefleld  to  the  forest 
yonder?" 

"Yes,  that  is  the  best  way  for  you  to  escape.  The 
cane  is  so  tall  that  you  will  escape  observation." 

"We  will  have  to  hurry,  madam." 

"Perhaps  the  soldiers  won't  come  here.  If  they  do 
I  can  hide  you  where  they  can't  find  you.  There  is 
no  need  for  you  to  go." 

"We  mustn't  risk  involving  you  any  more  than 
can  be  helped.  We  will  get  away  all  right." 

The  soldiers  were  approaching  from  the  north. 
We  went  out  at  a  side  door  facing  the  south,  so 
that  we  would  not  be  seen  by  them.  They  were 
still  a  considerable  distance  off.  Jack  passed  out 
ahead  of  me.  I  was  left  alone  in  the  hall  with  the 
little  woman. 

She  was  close  beside  me,  looking  up  into  my  face 
with  a  shy,  confiding  smile.  She  was  a  little  crea- 
ture and  hardly  stood  to  my  shoulder.  An  irresisti- 
ble temptation  suddenly  took  hold  of  me.  I  passed 
my  arm  about  her  waist  and  drew  her  to  me.  She 
did  not  resist  and  for  a  moment  her  little  head  was 
resting  upon  my  shoulder.  With  a  guilty  blush  she 
turned  her  sad,  childish  face,  with  its  sparkling 
eyes  and  bewitching  mouth,  up  to  mine.  I  bent 
down  and  impressed  a  kiss  upon  her  red  lips.  She 
blushed  crimson  at  this.  I  thought  she  was  more 
beautiful  than  ever.  For  a  moment  she  lay  snug 
and  confiding  in  my  arms.  Then  with  a  little  sob, 
she  broke  away  and  darted  out  of  the  hall.  I  stood 
there  like  a  clumsy  fool. 

However,  an  impatient  cry  from  Jack  on  the 
outside  quickly  recalled  our  position,  and  I  darted 
out  of  the  house.  Jack  was  waiting  impatiently. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  113 

Together  we  hurried  past  the  outhouses  to  the  great 
oanefield.  I  looked  back  and  saw  the  little  woman 
standing  at  the  window.  She  smiled  at  us,  and  we 
disappeared  in  among  the  tall  stalks  of  cane.  I 
never  expected  to  see  her  again. 

Our  progress  was  slow.  The  cane  was  thick  and 
it  retarded  our  movements.  The  sharp  blades  cut 
like  knives.  We  made  our  way  through  in  some 
way,  though.  We  followed  along  through  the  forest 
for  several  hours.  We  saw  nothing  more  of  the  sol- 
diers, and  concluded  that  they  were  off  the  trail. 

Just  before  nightfall  we  came  upon  a  little  hut 
in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  The  hut  had  only  one 
room,  but  plenty  of  cracks.  We  circled  round  it, 
and,  as  we  saw  no  sign  of  human  habitation,  we  de- 
cided to  explore  the  place.  There  was  nobody  in 
the  hut,  and  there  was  nothing  to  indicate  that  it 
had  been  inhabited  for  years.  We  decided  to  spend 
the  night  in  here. 

The  little  woman  had  supplied  us  with  some 
things  to  eat,  and  now  we  sat  down  at  one  side  and 
began  devouring  the  food.  We  were  engaged  thus 
when  suddenly  a  dark  shadow  clouded  the  doorway. 
Glancing  up  we  saw  a  man  standing  upon  the 
threshold.  He  was  regarding  us  in  surprise.  My 
first  thought  was  that  he  was  a  soldier  who  had 
traced  us  to  this  place.  With  a  cry  of  alarm,  I 
drew  my  revolver  and  covered  him  with  it.  The 
man  did  not  seem  the  least  frightened  as  he  glanced 
down  the  shining  barrel  of  the  revolver.  He  merely 
smiled  confidently. 

"What  do  you  want?''  I  asked. 

"Who  the  devil  are  you?"  he  blurted  out  in  re- 
turn, 


114  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"And  who  the  devil  are  you?"  I  retorted. 

"I  am  Juan  Riablo." 

"What  are  you  doing  here?" 

"I  own  this  place.  I  have  a  right  to  come  to  it 
when  I  please.  What  are  you  doing  here?" 

"We  were  traveling  through  the  forest  when  we 
came  across  this  hut.  It  was  deserted.  We  thought 
we  would  spend  the  night  in  it  instead  of  in  the 
forest." 

"Who  are  you?" 

"We  are  hunters!" 

"Hunters  be  damned !  I  know  who  you  are.  You're 
the  prisoners  who  escaped  from  Santa  Rossa  last 
night." 

"Your  information  won't  do  you  any  good.  If 
that's  what  we  are  we'll  take  pains  to  see  that  you 
don't  have  a  chance  to  betray  us.  What  are  you?" 

"You  don't  know  Juan  Riablo?"  the  fellow  cried 
in  amazement.  "That's  strange.  I'm  the  worst 
criminal  in  Peru.  I'm  a  murderer,  a  thief,  a  pick- 
pocket, and  the  Lord  only  knows  what  else." 

"Quite  an  accomplished  gentleman !" 

"Yes,  but  this  country  is  getting  too  hot  for  me 
now.  I've  got  to  clear  out." 

"Do  you  know  the  country  around  here?" 

"Every  foot  of  it." 

"We  don't.  What  do  you  say  to  joining  us  and 
acting  as  a  guide?  I'm  afraid  if  you  refuse,  we'll 
have  to  blow  your  brains  out." 

"I'll  go  with  you.     We're  all  in  the  same  box." 

And  thus  Juan  Riablo  became  one  of  us. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  115 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AN  UNLUCKY  ENCOUNTER. 

We  found  Riablo  in  truth  a  most  accomplished 
scoundrel.  We  could  hardly  suggest  anything  that 
he  had  not  tried  at  some  point  in  his  career.  He 
had  been  a  sailor,  a  gold  hunter,  a  soldier — every- 
thing; but  most  of  all  a  villain.  According  to  his 
own  confession,  I  think  he  must  have  committed 
every  crime  that  has  a  name.  His  point  of  pride 
was  the  number  and  variety  of  his  crimes. 

Notwithstanding  his  villainy,  he  was  an  enter- 
taining sort  of  a  fellow.  Put  him  in  a  drawing 
room  and  he  would  have  had  the  appearance  of  a 
gentleman.  I  would  never  have  taken  him  for  a 
desperate  criminal.  He  could  make  a  fire  at  night 
with  no  blaze  to  reveal  our  whereabouts  to  the 
passer-by.  He  was  a  good  cook  and  an  excellent 
forager.  We  were  never  in  want  of  something  to 
eat.  If  we  desired  domestic  fowl,  Riablo  would  pro* 
cure  it  for  us  from  he  alone  knew  where.  If  we 
desired  fruit,  all  that  was  required  was  a  word  to 
Kiji  bio  and  our  wants  would  be  filled. 

He  was  always  in  a  good  humor,  laughing  and 
joking.  Yet  beneath  this  veneer  of  carelessness, 
there  was  an  undercurrent  of  devilish  ferocity.  He 
was  a  dangerous  man  to  rouse  to  anger.  His  steely, 
colorless  eyes  had  an  unsteady  glitter  that  carried 
with  it  instinctive  mistrust. 

Riablo  would  go  into  the  towns  and  would  bring 


116  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

us  news  of  the  outside  world.  We  learned  that  the 
rebellion  was  gaining  ground  steadily  all  over  the 
south.  Outside  of  Arequipa  and  one  or  two  other 
cities  the  government  exercised  little  authority.  The 
rebels  were  somewhere  further  up  in  the  mountains. 
It  was  our  purpose  to  join  them.  We  heard  various 
rumors,  but  we  could  get  no  exact  information  as 
to  the  position  of  Paramonte's  army.  So  we  were 
going  it  blind,  to  some  extent. 

Nearly  a  week  had  passed  since  that  eventful 
night  when  Jack  and  I  made  our  escape  from  Santa 
Rossa  prison.  Under  Riablo's  guidance  we  avoided 
all  the  much  traveled  highways.  He  knew  the  coun- 
try thoroughly.  We  did  not  experience  any  great 
hardships,  but  had  we  been  alone,  we  would  have 
been  captured  long  before. 

We  were  making  our  way  along  the  slope  of  a 
mountain.  Down  in  the  valley  below,  a  little  thread 
of  silver  marked  the  winding  course  of  one  of  the 
lesser  tributaries  of  the  Tambo.  About  a  mile 
ahead  of  us  and  nestled  close  down  in  the  valley 
was  a  pretty  little  village. 

"I  believe  I'll  go  down  there  and  see  if  the  rebels 
are  anywhere  in  this  neighborhood,"  said  Riablo, 
jerking  his  thumb  toward  the  village. 

"Look  here,"  I  exclaimed,  "Riablo,  what's  to  pre- 
vent Jack  and  me  going  down  with  you?" 

Riablo  looked  at  me  doubtfully. 

"I  suppose  it  will  be  all  right,"  he  said  presently, 
"if  you  fellows  care  to  risk  it.  You  must  be  careful, 
though." 

Thus  it  was  decided. 

We  started  down  to  the  village.  At  the  base 
of  the  mountain  we  struck  the  trail.  We  did  not 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  117 

meet  anybody  until  we  were  in  the  village.  Quite 
a  number  of  people  were  on  the  streets.  They  stared 
at  us  rather  curiously,  but  did  not  offer  to  interfere. 
Riablo  was  perfectly  at  home  in  the  crowd,  but  I 
was  afraid  each  moment  that  we  would  be  recog- 
nized the  next.  Jack  was  still  more  afraid.  I  was 
alarmed  lest  his  evident  agitation  should  betray 
us.  After  awhile,  however,  some  of  Jack's  fear 
wore  off. 

To  my  surprise  and  alarm,  I  saw  half  a  dozen 
Peruvian  soldiers  lounging  about  in  uniform.  We 
could  see  their  dirty  tents  a  little  distance  away 
from  the  village.  I  could  not  imagine  what  sol- 
diers could  be  doing  in  this  little  mountain  town. 

We  passed  close  by  them,  but  the  soldiers  paid 
no  attention  to  us  whatever.  I  was  immensely  re- 
lieved. We  sauntered  along  the  street  leisurely, 
and  near  the  further  end  of  the  village  we  entered 
a  low  wine  shop.  Going  up  to  the  bar,  Riablo  called 
for  drinks.  I  could  hardly  drink  the  poisonous 
stuff  that  was  given  us,  but  I  managed  to  gulp  it 
down  somehow.  After  drinking,  we  took  our  seats 
at  a  little  table. 

The  wine  shop  was  a  low,  uncleanly  den  of  vice. 
There  was  quite  a  crowd  in  it.  Everybody  was 
smoking  and  drinking.  The  clouds  of  smoke  stifled 
me  and  I  could  hardly  see. 

"It's  an  infernal  shame,"  a  half -drunken  wretch 
was  declaring,  "that  these  soldiers  have  come 
here." 

"That's  what  it  is,"  agreed  the  others. 

"What  are  they  up  here  for?"  somebody  asked. 

"I  reckon  they've  heard  at  Arequipa  that  the 
people  around  here  favor  the  rebels,"  the  first 


118  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

speaker  explained.  "And  now  they've  gone  and  sent 
their  infernal  old  troops  up  here  to  preserve  order, 
they  say.  Order  be  damned!  Who  wants  order? 
They'll  be  making  us  pay  their  blasted  old  salt  tax 
and  everything  else.  It's  an  infernal  shame.  If  I 
had  my  way  about  it,  why,  why,  I'd  have  every 
damned  one  of  the  soldiers  hung !" 

After  delivering  this  eloquent  address  the  man 
glanced  at  his  hearers  in  that  patronizing  way  that 
a  man  looks  down  upon  those  infinitely  beneath 
us. 

"I  wish  you  had  your  way,"  said  a  third  speaker, 
"or  that  the  rebels  would  come  down  and  send  'em 
to  hell — where  they  belong." 

"Wonder  where  they  are." 

"Can't  tell." 

"I  know,"  put  in  a  new  speaker,  lumbering  up 
from  the  bar.  He  was  dusty  and  had  been  travel- 
ing. 

I  listened  eagerly.  Here  was  a  man  who  knew 
the  whereabouts  of  the  rebels. 

"Where  are  they?"  was  asked  in  chorus. 

"They  were  at  Barrilla  yesterday — thousands  of 
them  r 

"Oh,  Lord !"  groaned  some  facetious  one. 

"Why,  Barrilla's  only  fifteen  miles  away!"  ex- 
claimed the  eloquent  man. 

"I  was  there  vesterday,  and  the  rebels  were  there 
then." 

"D'ye  reckon  they're  comin'  this  way?" 

"I  heard  that  they  were." 

"Fellow  citizens,"  cried  out  the  eloquent  man, 
"maybe  the  rebels  are  coming  here  now.  We'll  re- 
ceive them.  We'll  receive  them  with  open  arms! 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  119 

Lord!  what  will  these  soldiers  do  if  they  do  come?" 

"Hurrah  for  the  rebels !"  some  one  cried. 

The  rest  joined  in  the  cry.  The  little  wine  shop 
fairly  shook  with  the  sound. 

"That's  right,"  commented  the  eloquent  man, 
rubbing  his  hands  benignly.  "Let's  all  drink  to 
the  rebels." 

The  crowd  lined  up  to  the  bar.  To  avoid  sus- 
picion we  joined  them.  Everybody  was  drinking 
and  cheering  the  rebels  and  cursing  the  soldiers 
and  the  government. 

"You  see,"  Riablo  whispered  to  me.  "We'll  join 
Paramonte  yet.  If  he's  at  Barrilla  or  coming  this 
way,  we'll  join  him  to-morrow.  We  won't  stay  here 
much  longer." 

Just  then  half  a  dozen  soldiers  streamed  in 
through  the  door.  Most  of  them  were  half  drunk. 
The  men  who  had  been  so  boisterous  but  a  moment 
before  were  silent  now.  All  looked  frightened.  T 
noticed  several  reaching  for  knives  or  revolvers. 
I  thought  the  soldiers  had  come  to  break  up  the 
crowd ;  a  general  fight  was  imminent. 

A  sergeant  was  the  only  officer  in  the  squad.  He 
was  about  the  drunkest  of  them  all. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this  maudlin  blas- 
phemy?" he  asked,  trying  to  straighten  himself  up 
and  appear  with  becoming  dignity. 

"You  are  all  rebels.    I  put  you  all  under  arrest." 

He  tried  to  draw  the  short  sword  that  was  at  his 
side,  but  he  was  unable  to  get  it  half  out  of  the 
scabbard.  The  effort  involved  was  too  much  for 
his  doubtful  equilibrium.  He  staggered  forward 
and  would  have  fallen  to  the  floor  had  not  a  rickety 
old  table  broken  his  fall.  He  lay  there  embracing 


120  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

the  table  and  panting  out  the  most  undignified 
supplications.  With  a  broad  grin  the  eloquent 
man  caught  up  a  board  and  spanked  him  sharply. 

The  crowd  roared,  but  the  sergeant  looked 
aggrieved.  He  blinked  his  eyes  solemnly  and  tried 
to  recover  his  lost  dignity.  He  only  made  himself 
the  more  ludicrous. 

"Now,  I  don't  think  that  was  kind  of  you,"  he 
said  gravely.  "You  must  respect  me.  I  am  a  man 
of  authority.  You  are  all  under  arrest.  Under- 
stand? You're  all  under  arrest!" 

The  crowd  had  lost  their  fear  now,  and  they  only 
roared  louder  than  ever. 

"Come,  sargentito  mio,"  said  the  eloquent  man, 
with  a  grin,  "and  drink  with  us.  Then  you  can  ar- 
rest us  all." 

The  sergeant  blinked  his  eyes  and  considered  the 
matter  very  gravely. 

"Now  that's  kind  of  you,"  he  said.  "You're  a 
gentleman — and  a  soldier." 

With  the  eloquent  man's  aid  the  dignified  ser- 
geant recovered  his  balance,  and  lumbered  un- 
steadily up  to  the  bar.  He  took  a  drink  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  eloquent  man,  and  so  did  the  soldiers. 

"You're  all  good  fellows!"  solemnly  avowed  the 
sergeant,  steadying  himself  on  the  bar. 

"You're  right,  sargento.  We  always  like  good  sol- 
diers like  you,"  the  eloquent  man  said.  "Like  to 
kill  them,"  he  added  by  way  of  explanation. 

The  sergeant  did  not  know  whether  to  take  this 
last  as  a  compliment  or  an  insult.  He  considered 
it  solemnly. 

"You're  all  right,  sargento,"  said  Riablo,  grin- 
ning. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  121 

Jack  was  standing  next  to  the  sergeant,  and  Ria- 
blo  was  next  to  him.  The  sergeant  thought  it  was 
Jack  who  had  spoken.  He  turned  to  him  with  sym- 
pathetic looks.  I  thought  Jack  was  going  to  drop 
right  there. 

''You're  my  friend,"  the  sergeant  said,  laying  his 
hand  upon  Jack's  shoulder.  "What's  your  name?" 

"I  surrender,"  Jack  cried  out  in  terror.  "Fm 
Jack  Whitman!" 

"You  fool !"  I  gasped,  taking  Jack  by  the  arm. 
He  had  had  no  better  judgment  than  to  give  the 
sergeant  his  real  name.  Doubtless  the  sergeant 
had  heard  of  our  escape.  Riablo  looked  as  though 
he  wanted  to  kill  Jack  right  there. 

"Whitman,"  he  said  in  a  drunken  mutter.  "Oh, 
I  knowr  you !" 

The  sergeant  pressed  his  hand  to  his  forehead,  as 
if  trying  to  recall  something.  The  intoxication 
seemed  to  pass  from  him. 

"You're  one  of  the  fellows  that  escaped  from 
Santa  Rossa  prison,"  he  said  rapidly,  his  hand  clos- 
ing upon  Jack's  shoulder.  "Your  game's  up !  You 
are  my  prisoner !  Here,"  to  the  soldiers  with  him, 
"arrest  those  two  fellows,"  pointing  to  Riablo  and 
me. 

The  soldiers  prepared  to  carry  out  the  order. 
The  other  men  were  slinking  away.  Evidently  they 
did  not  care  to  be  implicated  in  the  matter.  Only 
half  a  dozen  of  the  worst  remained.  I  thought  we 
could  count  on  their  being  with  us  in  a  fight.  The 
sergeant  still  held  Jack. 

"Let  him  go — the  infernal  fool,"  whispered  Ria- 
blo in  my  ear.  "We  can  get  away  by  ourselves." 


122  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Give  him  one  more  trial,"  I  said.  "Just  one 
more." 

"He  is  a  fool !" 

It  was  necessary  to  act  quickly  if  we  meant  to  do 
anything.  We  had  our  pistols,  but  if  we  used  them 
the  noise  would  attract  attention.  We  wished  to 
avoid  that  as  much  as  possible.  I  caught  the  back 
of  a  chair  and  lifted  it  in  my  hands.  Everybody, 
even  the  soldiers,  sprang  out  of  reach.  They  knew 
that  we  were  desperate  and  would  hesitate  at  noth- 
ing. The  sergeant  tried  to  get  away  without  re- 
linquishing his  hold  upon  Jack.  He  failed,  and  in 
a  moment  I  brought  the  heavy  chair  crashing  down 
upon  his  head.  He  dropped  to  the  floor  like  a  log. 

I  grasped  one  of  Jack's  arms  and  Riablo  took 
the  other.  We  darted  right  through  the  crowd  of 
astonished  soldiers  and  loungers.  The  latter  were 
inclined  to  favor  us,  and  made  way  for  us.  One 
or  two  of  them  also  managed  to  accidentally  get 
in  the  way  of  the  soldiers.  Fortunately  the  sol- 
diers were  not  armed.  Two  of  them  sprang  in  front 
of  us  and  tried  to  stop  us.  I  knocked  one  down  and 
Riablo  stabbed  the  other. 

The  others  made  way  for  us.  In  a  moment  we 
were  out  in  the  street.  We  hurried  along  the  street 
dragging  Jack  along  with  us.  We  were  soon  out 
of  the  village.  Some  of  the  soldiers  started  after  us, 
but  as  they  were  unarmed,  and  their  comrades  were 
on  the  other  side  of  the  town,  they  were  not  over- 
anxious to  come  up  with  us.  We  soon  distanced 
them  and  got  into  the  shelter  of  the  forest  along 
the  base  of  the  mountain.  The  soldiers  then  gave 
up  the  chase  and  returned  to  the  town. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  123 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE  DESERTED  HOUSE. 

For  several  hours  we  made  our  way  along  the 
side  of  the  mountain.  Riablo  was  fuming  and  rag- 
ing all  the  time.  Jack  was  gloomy  and  downcast, 
brooding,  over  the  unfortunate  recognition  he  had 
brought  upon  us.  For  my  part,  I  was  afraid  that 
we  would  be  recaptured.  I  was  sure  that  the  sol- 
diers would  not  give  up  the  search  so  readily. 

But  as  nothing  appeared  to  alarm  us,  I  became 
less  apprehensive.  Night  was  drawing  on.  The  red- 
dening sun  was  close  upon  the  western  horizon. 
For  some  time  we  had  been  looking  about  for  a 
suitable  place  to  spend  the  night. 

We  were  well  up  on  the  mountain  side.  As  we 
skirted  about  a  projected  spur,  the  panorama  of 
the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Tambo  stretched  out  for 
miles  before  us.  At  first  we  did  not  catch  the  details 
of  the  scene ;  we  were  dazzled  by  the  brilliant  whole. 
But  as  the  scene  grew  more  familiar  the  eye  took 
in  more  of  the  detail  of  the  magnificent  picture.  I 
caught  a  glimpse  of  white  far  down  the  valley,  and 
a  little  wisp  or  two  of  smoke. 

"Look  yonder,  Riablo,"  I  said,  pointing  in  the 
direction  of  the  smoke,  "what  do  you  make  of 
that?" 

Riablo  looked  steadily  in  the  direction  I  had  in- 
dicated, lie  shaded  his  eyes  to  see  better.  His  brow 
contracted ;  I  could  see  that  he  was  puzzled. 


124  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"It  looks  like  tents  and  a  campfire  or  two,"  he 
muttered.  "Dios,  it  must  be  that  the  rebels  have 
come  up  from  Barrilla.  They're  camped  there/'1 

"Of  course  that's  it,"  I  returned,  wondering  that 
I  had  not  thought  of  that  explanation  before. 

"We  can  get  down  there  this  evening,"  Jack  sug- 
gested. 

"No  use  to  hurry,"  said  Riablo,  philosophically. 
"It's  five  or  six  miles  down  there,  and  we  haven't 
got  more  than  fifteen  minutes  of  daylight  left.  It's 
not  healthy  to  go  fooling  around  a  rebel  camp  after 
dark.  Like  as  not,  if  we  go  down  there  to-night  one 
of  their  infernal  sentinels  will  blow  our  heads  off. 
We'd  better  wait  till  to-morrow." 

"You're  right,"  I  acquiesced.  "But  where  are 
we  going  to  stay  to-night — out  here  in  the  woods?" 

"I  don't  know,"  returned  Riablo  doubtfully.  "I 
don't  like  that  idea.  I've  got  a  devil  of  a  cold  now. 
See  that  old  house  down  yonder?  It's  deserted, 
isn't  it?" 

"It  has  that  appearance." 

"If  it's  deserted  we  can  go  down  there  and  sleep. 
We'll  go  down  and  see  about  it,  anyhow." 

We  started  down  the  mountain  in  the  direction 
of  the  house  that  Riablo  had  noticed.  We  made 
rapid  progress  and  soon  we  were  drawing  near  the 
house.  It  certainly  did  have  all  the  appearance  of 
being  deserted.  The  doors  were  down,  the  windows 
were  smashed  out,  and  most  of  the  roof  was  gone. 
It  did  not  look  as  if  it  would  afford  much  protec- 
tion from  the  weather.  The  door  posts  were  rotting 
away  and  the  floors  of  the  porches  were  covered 
with  moss.  The  house  had  not  been  occupied  for 
years. 


A  MAN  Or'  AMBITION.  I'.'j 

However,  even  its  partial  shelter  would  be  better 
than  the  exposure  of  the  open  forest.  The  road 
from  the  village  we  had  just  left  so  precipitately 
led  along  in  front  of  the  house.  We  made  our  way 
through  the  tall  weeds  up  to  it.  We  passed  through 
the  open  doorway  into  the  house.  Dust  lay  thick  on 
the  floors.  The  ceilings  were  buried  in  cobwebs. 
The  stairway  was  narrow  and  ancient,  but  its  sup- 
ports had  almost  rotted  away.  Upstairs  there 
were  only  two  large  rooms  and  the  hall.  In  one 
of  the  rooms  the  roof  had  fallen.  The  debris  had 
so  choked  up  the  room  that  we  could  hardly  get 
into  it.  The  other  room  was  but  little  better.  Much 
.of  the  ceiling  had  fallen,  leaving  the  bare  rafters 
exposed. 

The  place  was  safe  enough  and  we  decided  to 
spend  the  night  here.  Kiablo  had  some  provisions 
that  he  had  brought  in  his  pockets  and  we  made 
a  scanty  meal  off  of  them.  Then  we  sat  and  told 
most  wonderful  yarns  till  we  were  all  tired  and 
sleepy.  AVe  stretched  ourselves  on  the  bare  floor 
of  one  of  the  lower  rooms.  Soon  we  were  fast 
asleep. 

Our  troubles  did  not  much  disturb  our  slumbers 
—mine  at  any  rate.  I  slept  soundly  through  the 
night.  The  sun  was  shining  in  upon  my  face 
when  at  last  I  awoke.  Jack  and  Kiablo  were  still 
sleeping.  I  rose  clumsily  to  my  feet  and  yawned 
mightily.  Then  I  started  suddenly  as  I  heard  some 
one  passing  along  the  road  which  ran  in  front  of 
the  house.  This  alarmed  me.  From  the  sound  I 
judged  that  there  were  quite  a  number  of  them. 
Thoughtlessly  I  hurried  to  the  front  door  to  see  who 
it  was.  My  brain  must  not  have  been  clear  yet,  or 


126  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

I  would  never  have  exposed  myself  openly  in  the 
doorway  as  I  did. 

A  squad  of  Peruvian  soldiers  were  passing  along 
the  road.  They  came  from  the  village  where  we  had 
had  our  encounter  of  the  day  before.  I  was  too 
much  stupefied  to  move.  In  a  moment  some  one  of 
them  caught  sight  of  me.  He  gave  a  shout  of 
triumph. 

"Here  they  are !"  he  cried  out.    "Look !" 

I  was  paralyzed  with  fright.  I  could  not  move. 
I  heard  an  officer  order  them  to  surround  the  house 
so  that  we  could  not  get  away.  Still  I  could  only 
stand  there  and  stare  blankly.  The  soldiers  quickly 
spread  about  the  house.  There  were  about  twenty, 
of  them.  They  seemed  to  want  to  take  us  alive  if 
possible. 

At  last  I  recovered  from  my  astonishment  suf- 
ficently  to  go  back  and  wake  Riablo  and  Jack.  Ria- 
blo  was  just  waking  when  I  re-entered  the  room. 

"What  the  devil  is  the  matter  now?"  he  asked  as 
he  rubbed  his  heavy  eyes.  "What  is  this  noise?" 

"Soldiers!"  I  managed  to  gasp  out.  "They're 
surrounding  the  place." 

Riablo  sprang  to  his  feet.  His  face  was  very 
white.  He  glanced  through  the  window  and  caught 
a  glimpse  of  two  or  three  uniformed  figures  strug- 
gling through  the  weeds.  Riablo  was  a  man  of 
quick  action.  No  danger  was  allowed  to  cloud  his 
mind  for  an  instant.  He  grasped  me  by  the  arm 
and  dragged  me  out  of  the  room. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  I  asked. 

"Make  a  rush  for  the  woods  back  yonder,  before 
they  get  us  surrounded.  Hurry  up !" 

"You  aren't  going  to  leave  Jack  here,  I  hope !" 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  127 

"Why  not?  The  blithering  fool !  If  he  goes  with 
us  we'll  all  be  captured  sure !" 

'•You  can  go  if  you  want  to,  but  I'll  be  hanged  if 
I'm  going  away  and  leave  Jack  here  without  trying 
to  help  him.  I'm  going  to  stay  with  him." 

"Then,  damn  you,  stay !  I  don't  care !  Stay  with 
the  fool  and  be  a  fool  like  him !" 

"All  right,  but  if  you  get  away,  try  and  send  the 
rebels  up  here  to  help  us,  or  to  get  us  away  if  we  are 
captured/' 

Riablo  darted  out  through  the  rear  doorway 
alone.  The  forest  was  not  far  away.  He  made 
straight  for  it,  running  with  all  his  might.  The 
soldiers  quickly  caught  sight  of  him.  Half  a  dozen 
of  them  started  after  him.  He  out-distanced  them 
easily  and  they  fired  after  him.  At  one  shot  I  saw 
Riablo  clap  his  hand  to  his  shoulder,  as  if  a  bullet 
had  grazed  him ;  but  his  speed  did  not  decrease  in 
the  least.  A  moment  later  he  was  lost  from  sight 
in  the  woods. 

Jack  had  been  wakened  by  the  shots  and  the 
yells.  Now  he  came  staggering  out  into  the  hall 
with  heavy  eyes  and  a  look  of  alarm  on  his  face. 
He  had  not  comprehended  matters  yet. 

"What's  the  matter?''  he  asked,  seeing  me. 

"Get  your  revolver  out  and  get  ready  to  fight,"  I 
yelled  at  him.  "We're  surrounded  by  soldiers. 
We'll  have  to  make  some  sort  of  a  resistance.  We 
can't  get  away.  Better  be  killed  fighting,  though, 
than  be  shot  as  traitors.  If  we  can  hold  them  off 
for  two  or  three  hours,  maybe  Riablo  will  come 
back  with  some  of  the  rebels  to  help  us." 

"I'll  fight,"  said  Jack  determinedly. 

We  had  only  our  revolvers,  but  we  had  plenty  of 


128  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

ammunition  for  them,  having  purchased  a  supply 
several  days  before. 

The  soldiers  would  doubtless  have  been  in  the 
house  before  this  had  not  their  attention  been 
drawn  to  Riablo.  We  had  both  drawn  our  revolv- 
ers. We  had  the  advantage  of  position,  and  if  Jack 
only  did  not  turn  craven  we  could  put  up  a  pretty 
strong  fight.  We  were  entirely  surrounded  now. 
It  would  have  been  sheer  suicide  to  have  left  the 
house. 

Encouraged  by  the  fact  that  we  were  making  no 
resistance,  the  soldiers  were  rapidly  closing  in.  In 
a  moment  a  big  fellow  sprang  out  of  the  weeds  into 
the  front  doorway.  He  was  the  sergeant  whom  I 
had  hit  over  the  head  with  a  chair  the  day  before. 
He  had  a  rifle,  but  expected  no  resistance. 

"Here  are  the  other  two !"  he  called  to  his  com- 
rades. 

I  pointed  my  revolver  at  him,  and  almost  be- 
fore he  noticed  the  action,  I  pulled  the  trigger. 
There  was  a  sharp  crack  and  a  little  blue  wisp  of 
smoke  curled  about  the  muzzle  of  the  weapon.  The 
sergeant  clapped  his  hand  to  his  shoulder  and  spun 
round  like  a  top.  He  uttered  a  great  howl  of  pain 
and  scrambled  out  of  sight. 

Almost  at  the  same  time  a  couple  of  soldiers  ap- 
peared at  the  rear.  Jack  behaved  better  than  I  had 
anticipated.  He  shot  one  of  the  fellows,  and  the 
other  ran  away. 

The  soldiers  now  saw  that  we  were  desperate; 
and  they  approached  with  greater  caution.  A  bul- 
let from  the  weeds  whizzed  past  me  and  buried  it- 
self in  the  wall.  I  sprang  back  into  a  little  recess 
where  I  would  be  out  of  reach  of  the  bullets. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  129 

Directly  half  a  dozen  of  them  reached  the  porch 
from  the  outside.  Suddenly  they  made  a  rush  for 
the  doorway.  I  began  pumping  lead  into  them.  I 
hugged  pretty  close  to  the  recess  at  the  same  time. 
They  fired  back  at  me,  and  one  or  two  of  their  bul- 
lets whistled  uncomfortably  near  my  head,  but  I 
was  untouched. 

I  fired  all  five  of  the  shots  that  remained  in  my 
revolver,  but  I  don't  think  more  than  one  or  two  of 
them  did  any  damage.  The  soldiers,  however,  did 
not  like  it,  and  quickly  got  out  of  range.  Their 
leader,  a  young  lieutenant,  lay  prone  across  the 
doorsill.  His  fall  had  doubtless  caused  the  sudden 
panic. 

I  jerked  down  the  cylinder  of  my  revolver  and 
crammed  six  fresh  cartridges  into  it.  Some  of  the 
soldiers  now  appeared  in  the  rear  again.  They  kept 
so  closely  under  cover  though  that  Jack  had  no 
chance  to  get  an  effective  shot  at  them.  I  could 
see  some  of  them  in  front  also,  but  they  seemed  to 
be  trying  more  to  distract  attention  than  to  do  any- 
thing else. 

Directly  I  heard  somebody  in  the  room  to  the  left 
of  the  hall.  I  saw  then  what  they  were  trying  to 
do.  They  would  have  the  advantage  in  attacking 
from  that  direction.  I  could  not  see  them  from 
where  I  was.  I  quickly  sprang  out  from  the  recess. 
Two  or  three  shots  were  fired,  but  your  Peruvian 
is  generally  a  bad  shot,  and  I  was  not  hit.  I  sprang 
to  the  door  of  the  room,  revolver  in  hand. 

There  were  three  men  in  the  room.  Another  was 
climbing  through  the  window.  I  fired  at  theni,  but 
my  aim  was  wild  and  I  missed.  One  of  the  fellows 
in  turn  discharged  his  rifle  at  me.  He  was  but  a 


130  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

few  feet  off,  and  could  hardly  have  missed.  There 
was  a  tingling  pain  in  my  side  just  under  my  left 
arm;  and  I  could  feel  the  warm  blood  trickling 
down  my  side.  It  was  a  mere  scratch,  but  had  the 
bullet  passed  two  inches  nearer  it  would  have  gone 
through  my  heart. 

I  sprang  back  from  the  doorway  into  a  little  cor- 
ner of  the  hall.  Here  I  was  protected  from  those  in 
the  room  and  those  in  front,  but  I  was  still  exposed 
to  the  fire  through  the  door  and  a  window  of  the 
room  on  the  right.  In  a  moment  I  had  a  forcible 
reminder  of  this.  A  bullet  whistled  past  my  ear  and 
buried  itself  in  the  woodwork.  Directly  another 
bullet  lopped  a  piece  from  the  brim  of  my  hat. 

It  was  impossible  to  remain  there.  The  men  in 
the  room  were  preparing  to  rush  upon  me,  and  I 
was  not  in  a  position  where  I  could  hold  them  off. 
More  men  were  hurrying  up  the  porch,  but  I  could 
not  get  a  shot  at  them.  The  men  Jack  was  facing 
had  been  reinforced,  and  they,  too,  were  preparing 
for  a  rush. 

The  hall  was  filled  with  acrid  powder  smoke.  I 
glanced  about  for  some  means  of  escape,  but  I 
could  see  nothing.  At  last  the  stairway  caught  my 
eye.  It  was  narrow  and  two  men  at  the  top  of  it, 
well  protected  and  well  armed,  ought  to  be  able  to 
hold  it  against  an  army.  There  was  no  hope  of 
escaping  by  any  other  means.  The  soldiers  were 
closing  upon  us  from  every  direction.  They  were 
rather  afraid  of  our  weapons  now,  but  it  was  only 
a  question  of  a  short  time  until  we  must  be  killed  or 
captured. 

"I  can't  hold  out  here  much  longer !"  Jack  called. 

I  decided  upon  a  plan. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  131 

"Then  coine  here." 

Jack  sprang  up  from  where  he  was  crouching, 
and  made  a  dash  for  my  position.  Of  course,  he  had 
to  expose  himself  in  doing  this.  Several  shots  were 
fired  at  him,  but  without  effect.  Seeing  that  there 
was  no  longer  anyone  to  resist  them,  the  men  in  the 
rear  rushed  up  to  the  house.  Those  in  front  grew 
bolder  and  followed  their  example.  The  men  in  the 
room  started  for  the  hall,  but  a  couple  of  shots 
checked  them.  In  a  minute,  however,  the  hall  was 
swarming  with  soldiers.  The  smoke  hung  heavy, 
though,  and  they  could  hardly  see  us. 

We  dashed  straight  up  the  narrow  stairway.  The 
soldiers  did  not  see  us  till  we  were  near  the  top. 
One  of  them,  thinking  we  had  means  of  escape,  fired 
at  us,  but  he  did  no  damage.  Before  another  shot 
could  be  fired  we  were  on  the  landing. 

We  threwr  ourselves  at  full  length  so  as  to  protect 
ourselves  as  much  as  possible  from  the  shots  of 
those  below.  A  dozen  soldiers  started  up  the  stair- 
way after  us.  The  smell  of  powder  and  their  eager- 
ness in  the  chase  banished  their  caution.  The  stair- 
way was  narrow  and  everybody  tried  to  be  foremost. 
The  stairway  was  quickly  jammed. 

Jack  and  I  fired  simultaneously  into  this  crowd. 
One  man  dropped  limp  on  the  stairway.  His  com- 
panions did  not  heed  his  fall.  They  swarmed  over 
liis  body,  and  pushed  and  jammed  each  other,  every 
one  determined  to  reach  the  landing  first. 

The  stairway  was  old  and  rotten,  and  it  was  un- 
accustomed to  such  a  weight  It  creaked  alarming- 
ly under  the  burden.  Jack  and  I  kept  firing,  but 
without  any  perceptible  effect. 

The  floor  of  the  upper  hall  projected  over  the 


132  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

lower  portion  of  the  stairway.  In  the  upper  hall 
was  a  very  heavy,  solid  old  cabinet  that  had  been 
left  by  the  last  inhabitants  of  the  house.  As  I  saw 
it  a  new  idea  flashed  across  my  brain. 

"Keep  your  revolver  going  for  awhile,"  I  whis- 
pered to  Jack,  "and  I'll  show  you  something." 

Jack  nodded  that  he  understood.  I  crawled  along 
till  I  was  out  of  range  of  those  in  the  hall  below. 
Then  I  sprang  to  my  feet  and  hurried  up  to  where 
the  cabinet  stood.  It  was  so  heavy  that  I  could 
barely  lift  one  side  of  it.  However,  the  heavier  it 
was  the  better  it  suited  my  purpose. 

The  balustrade  around  the  opening  for  the  stair- 
way was  old  and  rotten.  A  few  sharp  kicks  sent 
a  considerable  section  of  it  crashing  down  upon  the 
heads  of  the  soldiers.  Jack  was  still  firing  away 
with  his  revolver. 

I  peered  over  the  edge,  cautiously,  lest  I  should 
be  observed.  The  main  body  of  the  soldiers  was 
jammed  directly  below  me.  The  time  had  come.  I 
dragged  the  old  cabinet  to  the  edge.  It  took  all  my 
strength  to  move  it.  Then  I  turned  it  up,  and  with 
an  effort  pushed  it  over.  The  heavy  cabinet  fell 
directly  upon  the  heads  of  the  soldiers  below. 

The  stairway  was  already  groaning  beneath  its 
burden.  This  sudden  addition  completed  the  work. 
There  was  a  great  crashing  and  smashing  of  wood, 
mingled  with  cries  of  pain  and  the  shouts  and  curses 
of  the  soldiers.  The  rotten  old  stairway  gave  way, 
precipitating  soldiers  and  all  into  the  hall  below. 

There  were  screams  and  groans  and  cries  such  as 
I  had  rarely  heard  before.  A  great  cloud  of  dust 
obscured  everything.  When  it  lifted,  those  who 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  133 

were  able  were  scrambling  out  of  the  wreckage. 
They  were  sorry  looking  fellows,  with  their  faces 
bruised  and  their  uniforms  soiled  and  torn.  Sev- 
eral had  arms  or  legs  broken.  The  fight  was  ef- 
fectually taken  out  of  these. 


134  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

RECAPTURED  AND  RELEASED. 

The  part  of  the  stairway  which  still  remained 
intact  was  some  seven  or  eight  feet  above  the  floor. 
One  or  two  reckless  fellows  tried  to  scramble  up 
to  where  we  were,  but  we  quickly  drove  them  back 
with  our  revolvers.  The  soldiers  in  the  hall  were 
at  our  mercy  now,  and  when  we  began  firing  they 
quickly  got  out.  Our  position  had  become  more 
tenable. 

We  had  a  short  breathing  spell.  The  soldiers  had 
withdrawn  from  the  hall,  but  we  could  still  hear 
them  jabbering  away  on  the  outside.  Doubtless 
they  were  concocting  some  new  plan  for  our  cap- 
ture. 

I  left  Jack  to  guard  the  head  of  the  stairway 
while  I  went  to  reconnoiter.  I  knew  that  the  win- 
dows would  be  watched,  and  so  I  kept  away  from 
them  as  much  as  possible.  The  room  to  the  left 
was  full  of  the  debris  of  the  fallen  roof,  but  the  one 
to  the  right  was  more  open.  I  feared  that  the  sol- 
diers would  get  into  this  room  and  attack  us 
through  it. 

I  hurried  into  the  room.  I  was  none  too  soon. 
The  soldiers  also  had  acted  quickly.  They  had 
found  an  old  ladder  somewhere  about,  and  two  or 
three  of  them  were  climbing  up  it  to  the  window. 
The  foremost  was  just  crawling  in  when  I  caught 
sight  of  him. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  135 

They  had  hoped  to  surprise  us,  but  they  had 
failed.  The  man  was  not  prepared  to  fight,  and 
when  he  saw  ine  he  tried  to  slide  back  down  the 
ladder.  Before  he  could  get  out  of  sight  I  had  shot, 
him.  He  gave  a  cry  and  fell  backwards.  I  sprang 
across  the  room  to  the  window.  Two  or  three  fel- 
lows were  scurrying  away  to  some  shelter.  I  fired 
at  one  of  them,  but  without  effect.  I  peered  out  in 
my  excitement,  but  a  bullet  crashed  into  the  wood- 
work not  two  inches  from  my  head,  and  I  quickly 
got  back  under  cover.  I  did  not  expose  myself 
again. 

I  remained  there  with  my  revolver  cocked,  ex- 
pecting another  attack,  but  none  came.  The  sol- 
diers had  evidently  decided  that  it  wrould  not  be  wise 
to  attack  us  openly  again.  Then,  too,  I  had  a  sus- 
picion that  their  fighting  strength  had  been  consid- 
erably diminished  by  our  bullets.  I  peeped  out 
once  and  I  saw  soldiers  all  about.  They  had  not 
given  up  yet.  I  felt  that  their  silence  had  some  deep 
meaning. 

After  a  few  minutes'  impatient  waiting  I  began 
to  hear  a  muffled,  crackling  noise  below  me.  Little 
blue  wisps  of  smoke  curled  up  about  the  windows. 
It  was  not  powder  smoke,  either.  The  room  became 
hot  and  oppressive.  There  was  no  mistaking  the 
meaning  of  this.  They  had  set  the  house  afire ! 

It  may  seem  strange,  but  I  had  never  once 
thought  of  this.  I  was  dumb  for  a  moment.  They 
were  going  to  burn  us  out.  Jack  called  to  me  that 
the  hall  was  afire.  I  hurried  back  to  the  hall.  The 
smoke  was  thicker  there.  It  half  stifled  me,  and 
distorted  the  vision.  Down  in  the  lower  hall  great, 
glowing  tongues  of  flame  were  leaping  about. 


136  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

The  woodwork  of  the  house  was  light  and  it 
burned  like  tinder.  Down  stairs  all  the  house  to  the 
right  of  the  hall  was  already  a  raging  mass  of 
flames.  I  called  Jack  to  my  side.  He  was  thorough- 
ly frightened.  Our  escape  through  the  hall  was 
cut  off  by  the  flames.  The  heat  was  terrific.  The 
flames  leaped  along  with  alarming  rapidity.  I  never 
saw  a  fire  gain  headway  so  rapidly. 

We  darted  into  the  room  I  had  just  left  and  made 
toward  the  window.  The  floor  beneath  our  feet 
was  hot  and  smoking.  Tar  was  oozing  up  from 
the  planks.  Already  little  tongues  of  flame  were 
creeping  over  the  floor.  I  knew  that  the  fire  was 
raging  just  beneath  our  feet.  The  room  was  like  an 
oven. 

A  moment  later  there  was  a  great  roar,  a  crack- 
ling and  spitting  of  flame,  and  a  great  wall  of  fire 
seemed  to  burst  through  the  floor  in  front  of  us. 
We  halted  in  terror.  The  flame  was  between  us  and 
the  window ! 

For  a  time  we  stood  there  completely  dazed.  I 
could  not  move.  Jack  was  clinging  to  my  arm  and 
trembling  in  every  limb.  The  rapidity  with  which 
the  fire  spread  was  appalling.  In  a  moment  it 
seemed  there  were  flames  all  around  us.  There 
was  no  time  to  think.  Catching  Jack  by  the  arm 
and  dragging  him  along,  I  made  straight  for  the 
door.  The  flames  interposed,  but  we  held  our 
breath,  ducked  our  heads  and  darted  right  through 
it.  The  burning  planks  beneath  our  feet  cracked 
and  broke  beneath  our  weight.  I  expected  to  plunge 
into  that  seething  caldron  of  flame  beneath  our 
feet.  Rut  with  a  mighty  effort  we  recovered  our- 
selves and  got  into  the  hall. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  137 

Our  hair  was  singed,  our  faces  blistered,  and  our 
clothing  on  fire  in  a  dozen  places.  I  thought  we 
must  surely  succumb  to  the  terrific  heat.  The 
cartridges  in  the  pocket  of  my  coat  began  to  go  off 
of  their  own  accord.  I  jerked  off  the  coat  and 
t(  ssed  it  into  the  flames.  The  metal  of  the  revolver 
was  hot  and  it  burned  my  hands.  I  threw  it  away, 
too. 

The  hall  was  also  on  fire,  but  not  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  the  room  we  had  left.  We  darted  right 
through  the  flame  into  the  ruined  room.  The  fire 
had  not  yet  reached  this  room  and  we  had  a  breath- 
ing spell.  However,  the  room  below  was  in  flames, 
and  the  floor  was  hot.  We  must  not  delay.  There 
was  an  open  window  at  the  further  end  of  the  room. 
The  other  windows  were  all  jammed  with  wreck- 
age. 

The  heaps  of  wreckage  and  debris  we  had  previ- 
ously thought  impassable  were  climbed  over  with 
ease.  We  tore  our  hands  and  barked  our  shins, 
but  still  we  pushed  on.  The  dreadful  fire  fiend  was 
behind  us,  and  it  impelled  us  to  superhuman  exer- 
tions. The  heat  was  increasing.  The  floor  was 
bulging  and  smoking.  In  a  very  few  minutes  this 
room  too  would  be  in  flames.  At  last  we  reached 
the  window.  Jack  crawled  through,  and  I  started 
after  him.  Just  as  I  was  lowering  myself  the  great 
crash  came.  The  floor,  undermined  by  the  fire  and 
overloaded  by  the  debris,  had  fallen.  A  moment 
later,  with  a  great  roar,  the  flames  filled  the  room. 
We  had  escaped  none  too  soon.  A  moment's  delay 
and  it  would  have  been  forever  too  late.  I  dropped 
to  the  ground  and  joined  Jack. 

A  great  shout  went  up  from  the  soldiers  when 


138  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION 

they  caught  sight  OL  us.  A  half  dozen  of  them 
started  toward  us.  We  had  no  weapons,  for  Jack 
had  also  thrown  away  his  revolver.  I  tried  to  run, 
but  my  limbs  were  raw  and  sore,  and  I  could  hardly 
move.  Everything  seemed  to  swim  before  my  eyes, 
but  still  I  staggered  on.  I  had  not  gone  a  hundred 
feet,  though,  before  I  was  surrounded  by  soldiers. 
I  was  desperate.  I  struck  one  of  the  men,  but  my 
hands  were  raw,  and  I  hurt  myself  worse  than  I 
hurt  the  man.  The  next  moment  three  or  four 
burly  fellows  sprang  upon  me,  and  bore  me  to  the 
ground.  In  a  jiffy  my  hands  and  feet  were  tied, 
and  I  could  struggle  no  longer.  Jack  was  also  cap- 
tured. 

The  soldiers,  and  Jack  and  I  with  them,  imme- 
diately started  back  toward  the  village.  They  had 
accomplished  their  misson;  they  had  captured  the 
two  fugitives.  Doubtless  they  had  heard  that  the 
rebels  were  in  this  vicinity  and  did  not  care  to  risk 
a  battle  with  them.  We  had  inflicted  considerable 
damage,  but  not  as  much  as  I  had  thought.  Two  of 
them  had  been  killed,  and  four  or  five  more 
wounded,  most  of  them  only  slightly. 

We  arrived  in  the  village  just  about  noon.  For 
us,  the  march  had  been  a  long  and  gloomy  one. 
Just  when  we  had  thought  ourselves  safe,  when  we 
expected  to  rejoin  the  rebels  in  a  few  hours,  we  had 
been  recaptured.  Jack  and  I  were  both  suffering 
considerably  from  our  burns  and  bruises,  but  we 
managed  to  keep  on  our  feet  until  we  reached  the 
village. 

Including  those  with  us,  I  estimated  that  there 
were  seventy-five  or  eighty  men  in  the  camp  there. 
We  were  separated,  Jack  being  placed  in  one  tent 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  139 

and  I  in  another.  We  were  not  bound,  but  guards 
were  placed  about  both  tents  to  watch  us.  We  were 
given  to  understand  that  if  we  made  any  attempt 
to  escape  our  brains  would  promptly  be  blown  out. 

The  flap  of  my  tent  prison  was  left  open,  and  1 
had  a  view  of  the  camp  and  the  trail  over  which 
we  had  just  come.  The  guards  were  lounging  about, 
chatting  together,  smoking  cigarettes  and  ever  and 
anon  glancing  at  me. 

An  hour  passed  without  anything  happening. 
The  soldiers  were  laughing  and  joking  like  boys, 
never  suspecting  any  danger.  The  trail  entered  the 
forest  a  hundred  yards  off,  and  that  was  as  far  as 
we  had  any  view  of  it.  Suddenly  there  came  the 
quick  rattle  of  rifles,  and  a  perfect  swarm  of  men 
came  rushing  out  of  the  forest  where  the  trail  en- 
tered it.  I  was  as  much  surprised  as  anybody  at 
their  appearance.  But  a  moment  before  the  woods 
had  shown  no  sign  of  life. 

It  was  an  attack  in  broad  daylight,  but  neverthe- 
less the  surprise  was  complete.  The  government 
troops  had  never  dreamed  of  being  attacked  in  this 
manner.  Instantly  all  was  confusion.  Officers  ran 
wildly  to  and  fro,  brandishing  their  swords  and 
bawling  out  incoherent  orders.  The  men  rushed 
toward  where  their  arms  had  been  stacked.  Some 
few  of  them  fled.  Before  those  who  remained  were 
in  line  the  rebels  were  in  the  camp. 

As  the  surprise  was  complete,  so  was  the  rout 
quick  and  complete.  The  rebels  swept  through  the 
camp,  carrying  everything  before  them.  The  sharp 
rattle  of  the  rifles  was  mingled  with  the  clash  of 
steel  when  the  two  forces  came  together.  A  short 
conflict  was  waged  hand  to  hand.  The  rebels  were 


140  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

confident,  and  they  outnumbered  the  government 
troops  many  times.  The  latter  only  made  a  show 
of  resistance.  They  stood  up  before  the  onslaught 
for  a  minute,  and  then  they  turned  and  fled. 

Soon  they  were  in  abject  flight.  The  rebels  pur- 
sued close  after  them.  The  irregular  cracking  of 
the  rifles  grew  less  distinct  and  less  frequent,  as  the 
fugitives  scattered  and  got  further  away.  Only  the 
dead  and  wounded  on  the  field  remained  to  tell  the 
tale  of  the  battle.  Those  who  had  escaped  had  taken 
to  the  mountains  and  the  rebels  were  pursuing 
them. 

My  tent  prison  was  left  unguarded  from  the  first 
surprise,  and  the  government  troops  seemed  to 
have  forgotten  all  about  their  prisoners.  At  any 
rate,  we  were  not  disturbed.  The  first  man  I  met 
upon  issuing  from  the  tent  was  Sefior  Paramonte, 
whom  I  had  not  seen  since  I  parted  with  him  in 
San  Francisco,  now  more  than  two  months  ago. 

"Well,  Seiior  Garnack,"  he  said,  grasping  my 
hand  warmly,  "you  have  got  back  to  us  at  last." 

"I  believe  I  have,"  I  returned.  "I  don't  know, 
though — it  all  seems  like  a  dream  to  me." 

"I  had  no  idea  of  your  whereabouts  until  that 
fellow  Riablo  came  to  us  this  morning.  When  I 
learned  where  you  were,  I  followed  up  these  fellows. 
I  meant  to  rescue  you  at  any  cost.  I  would  have 
fought,  though,  even  if  you  hadn't  been  here.  We 
didn't  have  much  trouble  with  them." 

"They  didn't  make  much  resistance." 

"But  how  do  you  come  here?  I  had  no  idea  that 
you  were  out  of  prison.  I  learned  only  a  few  days 
ago  that  vou  were  in  Santa  Rossa.  I  thought  von 

o  «/ 

were  up  north  somewhere.     I  am  now  marching 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  141 

upon  Arequipa.  I  mean  to  free  the  prisoners  at 
Santa  Kossa.  I  thought  you  were  still  there." 

"I  fear  you  won't  do  much  good  to  try  to  free  the 
prisoners  at  Santa  Kossa.  Those  who  were  cap- 
tured with  me  are  doubtless  now  all  dead  men." 

I  told  him  the  whole  story  of  the  shooting  of  the 
prisoners  and  my  own  escape.  He  became  very 
grave  as  he  listened,  and  then  his  anger  burst  forth 
like  a  lightning  flash. 

"They  shoot  my  brave  men!"  he  exclaimed,  his 
eyes  blazing.  "They  shall  rue  the  day !  They  shall 
see  what  my  revenge  can  be  like!  They  consider  us 
no  more  than  petty  insurrectionists  now,  traitors. 
But  I  will  show  them  what  we  can  do !  Arequipa  is 
my  own  home,  the  city  of  my  birth,  but  it  shall 
make  no  difference.  They  shoot  my  brave  fellows! 
They  shall  rue  the  day!  My  name  shall  be  written 
in  Arequipa  in  letters  that  will  blazon  forth  forever 
in  her  history.  I  will  revenge  the  death  of  the 
brave  men  who  died  for  my  cause.  A  trail  of  des- 
truction will  mark  my  course.  Our  revenge  will 
be  swift  and  certain." 

Paramoute's  men  had  gained  the  battle  with 
practically  no  loss.  Not  a  single  man  was  killed; 
three  were  slightly  wounded.  Of  the  government 
troops  three  or  four  were  dead,  and  twice  that 
number  wounded.  The  rest,  though,  were  dispersed 
and  scattered.  Paramonte's  victory  was  complete. 

There  were  perhaps  three  hundred  of  Para- 
monte's men.  lie  was  expecting,  however,  another 
detachment  of  considerable  size  from  the  east.  Sa- 
tander  was  with  him.  He  did  all  in  his  power  for 
my  comfort,  had  my  burns  dressed  with  soothing 
lotions,  and  treated  me  with  all  kindness.  He 


142  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

seemed  so  anxious  for  my  friendship  that  I  began 
to  feel  that  I  had  misjudged  him. 

We  remained  in  the  village  for  several  days,  wait- 
ing for  the  reinforcements  to  join  us.  The  burns 
healed  rapidly,  and  by  the  time  we  were  ready  to 
march  again  they  were  almost  entirely  healed.  Jack 
recovered  more  slowly.  Riablo's  wound  was  a  mere 
scratch  that  gave  him  no  inconvenience. 

Paramonte  was  already  virtually  master  of  the 
south  of  Peru.  His  officers  were  in  nearly  all  the 
provinces,  with  varying  forces.  The  people  were 
constantly  flocking  to  his  banner.  While  we  re- 
mained in  the  village  we  enlisted  close  to  a  hundred 
new  men.  The  people  were  incensed  against  the 
salt  tax,  and  they  were  all  against  the  government. 
In  the  country  and  smaller  towns  his  influence  was 
greater  than  in  the  cities  and  larger  towns.  Al- 
though it  was  Paramonte's  native  city,  Arequipa 
was  still  intensely  loyal  to  the  government.  Per- 
haps this  feeling  was  augmented  by  the  facf  that 
there  were  more  troops  there  than  anywhere  else  in 
the  south. 

Paramonte  meant  shortly  to  bring  together  all 
his  troops,  and  then  to  march  north.  He  thought 
he  would  be  before  Lima  before  an  army  was  col- 
lected large  enough  to  check  his  march.  He  would 
take  Lima  and  the  government  would  fall  with  its 
capital.  I  was  perfectly  confident  that  he  would 
succeed.  He  was  a  born  leader  of  men.  I  would 
have  followed  him  blindfolded  and  had  no  fear  of 
the  outcome. 

At  last  Major  Calcepes  arrived  with  his  division. 
There  were  about  three  hundred  of  them.  One  com- 
pany was  cavalry  and  the  rest  infantry.  With  this 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  143 

force  Paramonte  thought  he  would  be  able  to  take 
Arequipa. 

The  captain  of  the  cavalry  company  had  acci- 
dentally killed  himself  the  day  before  they  joined 
us,  and  I  was  put  in  command  of  the  company. 
Jack  was  not  given  any  place  at  all.  I  do  not  think 
Paramonte  was  very  favorably  impressed  with  him. 
Riablo  had  accepted  Paramonte's  service,  and  was 
a  sergeant  in  one  of  the  newly  formed  companies. 

The  next  morning  we  started  upon  our  march  to 
Arequipa. 


144  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE  ATTACK  UPON  AREQUIPA. 

We  inarched  steadily  in  the  direction  of  Arequipa 
for  four  or  five  days.  By  that  time  we  were  getting 
pretty  close  to  the  great  city  of  the  south. 

Our  entire  force  was  something  over  seven  hun- 
dred men.  I  felt  that  we  were  equal  to  any  thou- 
sand men  that  could  be  brought  against  us.  For  the 
most  part,  the  roads  over  which  we  passed  were 
narrow  and  in  wretched  condition.  Often  we  could 
only  march  in  single  file.  Pack  mules  carried  our 
supplies.  The  cavalry  company  was  mostly  occu- 
pied with  foraging.  We  met  with  no  resistance 
whatever. 

We  were  encamped  in  a  little  open  glade  in  the 
midst  of  the  forests  and  the  mountains.  All  about 
us  great  mountains  towered  up  with  their  snowclad 
peaks  standing  out  boldly  against  the  blue  sky. 
North  of  us  the  giant  Misti  towered  up  mightily, 
with  the  summit  wrapped  in  fleecy  mist.  Beyond 
yonder  flank  of  Misti  lay  the  great  city  of  Are- 
quipa. 

We  had  arrived  there  the  evening  before  and 
made  our  camp.  It  was  a  lonely  spot,  well  off  from 
any  of  the  traveled  highways,  and  only  approached 
by  a  mere  trail  through  the  forest.  All  day  we 
had  been  arranging  for  our  attack  upon  Arequipa, 
which  was  to  take  place  that  night.  Now  every- 
thing was  ready  for  the  march.  Before  many  hours 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  145 

we  would  be  in  Arequipa,  I  was  strolling  along 
meditating  thus,  when  an  orderly  came  up  to  me, 
and  said  that  General  Paramonte  (as  he  chose  to  be 
called)  wanted  me. 

I  hurried  straight  to  Paramonte's  tent.  Major 
Calcepes  was  with  him,  and  all  the  captains.  Sa- 
tander  was  one  of  the  number.  They  were  all 
seated  around  a  camp  table,  upon  which  lay  a 
crudely  drawn  map  of  Arequipa  and  the  surround- 
ing country.  Paramonte  motioned  me  to  a  seat  at 
his  side. 

"We  are  considering  the  best  plan  for  taking 
Arequipa,  Captain,"  he  said. 

I  glanced  at  the  map  with  interest, 

"The  barracks  are  there,"  Paramonte  observed, 
putting  his  finger  upon  the  map.  "There  are  four 
or  five  hundred  troops  in  Arequipa.  We  want  to 
surprise  them  if  possible." 

"I  don't  think  it  will  be  hard,"  observed  one  of 
the  officers.  "They  won't  be  prepared." 

Glancing  across  at  Satander  I  thought  I  could  de- 
tect a  cynical  smile  playing  about  the  corners  of  his 
mouth.  An  instant  distrust  of  the  fellow  took  hold 
of  me. 

"The  shortest  way  to  any  point  is  the  best  way," 
he  observed  with  a  sage  nod.  "The  Echenique  road 
runs  straight  to  the  barracks  and  right  into  the 
heart  of  the  town.  We  couldn't  do  better  than  go 
by  it." 

"Yes,  it's  the  most  direct  route  into  the  heart  of 
the  town,"  Major  Calcepes  observed,  tracing  the 
street  on  the  map. 

"I  suppose  it  is  about  the  best  way,"  Paramonte 
said,  with  a  keen  glance  at  Satander,  who  looked 


146  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

frightened.  "We  will  go  that  way  anyhow,  unless 
I  change  my  mind." 

Various  details  were  discussed,  and  then  General 
Paramonte  dismissed  us.  I  went  back  to  my  tent 
with  a  very  well-defined  suspicion  of  Satander's  mo- 
tives. I  was  wondering  what  he  had  really  done 
to  cause  this  suspicion  when  Riablo  passed  me. 

"Buenas  dias,  Captain,"  he  said,  saluting. 

"Why,  hello,  Riablo,"  I  said,  stopping  him. 
"We've  got  work  for  to-night,  eh?" 

"Dios!  it  is  glorious  work!" 

Just  then  Satander  appeared  in  sight. 

"Queer  fellow,  that  Captain  Satander,"  com- 
mented Riablo. 

"What's  the  matter  with  him?"  I  asked. 

"Nothing,  so  far  as  I  know.  Maybe  I'm  only  a 
confounded  fool,  but  I  don't  believe  that  man  is 
what  he  ought  to  be.  I  was  out  on  the  picket  line 
a  little  while  ago.  Satander  comes  along  with  a 
fellow  he  passes  through  the  line.  He  said  the  fel- 
low was  going  off  on  a  scout,  but  damn  me  if  I 
don't  believe  it  was  a  scout  for  the  other  side.  I've 
noticed  queer  things  about  this  Satander  before. 
Maybe  he's  all  right,  but  I  don't  believe  he's  up  to 
any  good.  I  believe  he's  a  spy  or  something  of  the 
sort.  Maybe  I'm  only  a  confounded  fool,  though." 

This  might  be  a  confirmation  of  my  suspicions, 
or  it  might  mean  nothing  out  of  the  ordinary.  I 
decided  not  to  do  anything  now,  but  I  meant  to 
watch  Satander  closely. 

By  nightfall  we  were  on  the  march.  There  was  a 
full  moon,  and  as  the  mountain  atmosphere  was 
clear,  the  night  was  almost  light  as  day.  For  the 
first  mile  or  two  our  course  lay  through  the  forest. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  147 

But  directly  we  came  out  upon  the  high  road  which 
runs  along  the  foot  of  Misti. 

A  few  miles  and  we  rounded  the  last  spur  of 
Misti.  There  in  the  valley  ahead  the  glimmering 
lights  marked  the  sight  of  Arequipa,  the  great  city 
of  the  south.  Our  hearts  beat  faster  at  the  sight. 
Little,  we  thought,  did  the  people  realize  the  terrible 
tragedy  overhanging  them. 

We  were  rapidly  approaching  the  sleeping  city. 
Directly  Paramonte  rode  up  beside  me. 

"We  are  having  a  fine  night  to  avenge  our  com- 
rades, Captain,"  he  remarked. 

"It  has  that  appearance  now,  General." 

UI  have  changed  my  plan  for  capturing  Are- 
quipa," he  observed. 

"What  do  you  mean?'7  I  asked,  surprised. 

"It's  just  this.  I'll  tell  you  the  truth.  I  have 
an  idea  that  there  is  some  dirty  work  ahead.  I  am 
half  afraid  that  our  attack  is  known  in  the  city,  and 
more  than  that  is  known.  I  mean  the  plan  that  we 
formulated  this  evening.  Our  secrets  have  been 
leaking  out  in  some  mysterious  manner,  though  I 
can't  tell  through  whom.  That's  why  I'm  going  to 
change  our  plan  at  the  last  minute.  I'm  gofng  to 
send  you  forward  along  the  Echenique  road  with 
your  company  as  a  sort  of  a  feeler.  Then  if  there 
is  a  trap  there,  the  other  companies  will  not  fall 
into  it.  If  you  see  anything  suspicious  don't  rush 
into  it,  but  get  out  of  the  way  as  soon  as  possible. 
Above  all,  be  cautious.  Things  may  turn  out  all 
right,  but  I'm  afraid  not.  Don't  risk  anything 
more  than  you  can  help.  I  mean  to  divide  the  rest 
of  my  force.  I'll  send  one  division  after  you  to  help 
you  out  if  you  get  in  a  scrape  and  the  other  one  I'll 


148  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

send  around  to  the  east  of  the  city  and  have  them 
enter  it  from  that  quarter." 

"Very  well,  General,  I  have  also  had  a  suspicion 
that  our  plans  were  known.  I  hope  that  it  is  not 
so,  but  it's  always  best  to  be  on  the  safe  side." 

"You  are  right.  But  don't  be  rash,and  if  you  see 
any  signs  of  an  ambuscade,  don't  run  into  it." 

Just  then  Satander  happened  up.  He  was  mani- 
festly nervous  and  agitated. 

"What's  this  Major  Calcepes  tells  me?"  he  de- 
manded. 

"That  I  have  changed  my  plans?" 

"Yes." 

"It's  true.  You  will  take  your  company  around 
to  the  Avenue  de  la  Plaza  and  enter  the  city  from 
the  east.  Captain  Garnack  goes  ahead  with  the 
cavalry  and  I  follow  him." 

Satander  started,  and  I  thought  he  turned  pale 
in  the  moonlight.  He  glanced  keenly  at  Pararnonte 
and  muttered  something  under  his  breath. 

"Why,  General,"  he  added  persuasively,  "what's 
the  need  of  this?  Won't  dividing  your  force  weaken 
it?  They  can't  know  of  our  plans." 

"Not  unless  we  have  traitors  in  the  camp,"  re- 
turned Paramoute,  with  a  keen  glance. 

Satander  looked  frightened.  From  that  moment 
I  never  doubted  his  villainy. 

"I  don't  want  any  further  interference,"  con- 
tinued Pararnonte.  "Go  back  to  your  company 
now.  And  you,  Captain  Garnack,  advance  with 
your  men." 

My  troop  of  cavalry  was  already  at  the  head  of 
the  long  column  of  Paramonte's  army.  I  gave  the 
order  and  we  surged  forward  at  a  smart  trot. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  1-49 

In  a  few  minutes  we  were  in  the  suburbs  of  Are- 
quipa.  We  entered  the  city  at  a  quick,  swinging 
trot.  The  dull  light  of  the  street  lamps  reflected  a 
feeble  glow  from  our  burnished  weapons  and  cast 
weird  dark  shadows  about  us.  Despite  the  lateness 
of  the  hour  many  people  were  still  on  the  streets. 
They  seemed  to  be  expecting  something  unusual, 
and  as  soon  as  we  appeared  in  sight  they  set  up  a 
great  shouting.  I  did  not  like  this.  They  skurried 
away  when  we  approached  nearer,  but  their  cries 
constantly  increased  in  vigor. 

On,  on,  we  rode,  heedless  of  the  cries  of  the 
people.  The  clatter  of  our  horses'  hoofs  upon  the 
paving  stones  sounded  hollow  and  unreal.  Were 
the  soldiers  of  the  government  waiting  us,  or  was 
our  attack  the  complete  surprise  that  Paramonte 
had  hoped  for?  We  could  not  tell. 

My  men  rode  along,  grim,  silent  and  undemon- 
strative. They  paid  no  attention  to  the  people  on 
the  streets.  Our  business  was  not  with  them,  but 
with  the  soldiers.  The  hubbub  increased  as  we 
got  deeper  into  the  city.  The  bells  of  the  churches 
and  the  great  cathedral  began  to  clang,  spreading 
the  alarm  over  all  the  city. 

"The  rebels!  the  rebels!"  the  people  shouted. 
"The  rebels  are  coming !" 

Still  we  continued  along  the  street.  In  a  moment 
the  excitement  took  hold  of  us,  and  we  were  eager 
for  a  fight.  The  horses  caught  the  excitement  too. 
They  neighed  and  snorted,  and  we  broke  into  a  wild 
gallop.  We  could  still  see  no  signs  of  soldiers.  I 
began  to  believe  that  we  had  taken  the  place  by 
surprise  after  all. 

The  street  was  dark  and  deserted  in  front  of  us 


150  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

now.  There  were  no  lights,  and  no  people  on  the 
sidewalks.  Perhaps  this  ought  to  have  been  suffi- 
cient to  have  aroused  our  suspicions,  but  we  hardly 
noticed  it. 

We  rode  recklessly  forward,  yelling  and  brandish- 
ing our  sabers.  We  expected  no  ambuscade  now. 
But  a  moment  later  I  caught  sight  of  what  looked 
like  a  barricade  that  had  been  constructed  across 
the  dark  street  a  hundred  yards  ahead.  Before  the 
troop  could  be  halted,  above  the  fearful  din  of  the 
bells,  roared  out  the  rattle  of  musketry.  What  we 
had  feared  had  come  at  last.  From  the  barricade 
and  the  dark  houses  along  both  sides  of  the  street 
red  spurts  of  flame  flashed  out,  vivid  in  the  dark- 
ness. Bullets  whistled  about  us  like  hail. 

My  lieutenant  was  telling  a  joke  of  some  sort 
when  the  volley  crashed  out.  It  was  never  finished. 
lie  fell  from  his  horse  without  a  cry,  stone  dead. 
Half  a  dozen  others  were  killed  by  that  first  volley. 
Others  reeled  in  their  saddles  and  cried  out  for 
pain.  Horses  fell,  dragging  their  riders  with  them 
to  the  ground.  We  came  to  a  halt.  There  was  no 
facing  that  murderous  fire.  The  horses  reared  and 
snorted,  maddened  by  the  whistling  bullets.  The 
merciless  fire  poured  in  upon  us  from  every  side. 
The  red  flashes  lit  up  the  grim  faces  of  the  soldiers 
behind  the  guns.  I  even  thought  I  could  detect  a 
grin  of  malignant  satisfaction  upon  some  of  them. 

There  were  two  machine  giins  on  the  barricade. 
Their  steady,  demoniacal  whirr,  sounding  above  the 
rattle  of  the  rifles,  was  maddening.  The  ceaseless 
stream  of  bullets  that  poured  from  them  mowed 
us  down  with  appalling  slaughter.  The  machine 
guns  inspired  more  terror  than  all  the  rifles. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  151 

We  were  well  into  the  death-trap  before  the  firing 
commenced.  We  were  altogether  taken  by  surprise. 
We  had  half  expected  an  attack  like  this,  yet  when 
it  came  we  were  not  prepared  for  it.  I  could  see 
no  escape  from  that  merciless  fire. 

The  horses  reared  and  plunged  in  terror.  The 
men  dropped  off  by  the  dozen.  We  made  an  attempt 
to  return  the  fire,  but  what  could  we,  on  our  plung- 
ing horses,  do  against  those  securely  ensconced  be- 
hind the  barricades? 

Already  half  our  men  were  down  before  that  ter- 
rific fire,  killed,  wounded  or  dismounted.  The  rest 
were  huddled  together  in  a  terror-stricken  mass. 
There  remained  but  one  thing  for  us  to  do,  and 
that  was  to  get  out  of  that  death-trap  the  way  we 
got  in  it.  No  order  was  required  to  make  the  men 
comprehend  this.  An  instinct  told  them  what  to 
do. 

Jamming  against  each  other  in  the  melee,  they 
wheeled  their  maddened  horses.  Everybody  was 
cursing  everybody  else  for  getting  in  the  way. 
Everybody  wanted  to  be  the  first  to  get  out  of  that 
hell-hole.  I  was  no  better  than  the  rest.  The  whirr 
of  the  machine  guns  and  the  whizzing  of  the  bullets 
about  our  heads  thoroughly  demoralized  us  all. 

The  merciless  fire  still  poured  in  upon  us.  The 
ceaseless  stream  of  bullets  from  the  machine  guns 
pursued  us  like  grim  fiends.  The  rifles  all  about 
us  cracked  ceaselessly.  Men  and  horses  dropped 
dead  and  dying  all  around  us.  The  survivors  only 
drove  their  maddened  horses  over  the  bodies  of  the 
fallen.  Our  one  thought  was  to  get  out  of  that  hole. 

The  surprise  had  been  well  planned.  Had  Para- 
monte's  forces  come  in  a  body,  they  would  have  been 


152  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

massacred  right  there.  All  along  the  street  along 
which  we  had  ridden  so  confidently  but  a  few  min- 
utes before  now  poured  a  terrific  hail  of  lead.  The 
red  spurts  of  flame  were  flashing  all  along  the  dark 
street.  It  was  a  veritable  lane  of  hell.  We  rushed 
along  between  the  lines  of  flashing  rifles,  a  mere 
horde  of  fugitives.  It  is  now  a  wonder  to  me  that 
any  of  us  got  out  alive. 

We  rushed  on  at  a  full  plunging  gallop.  In  a 
moment  we  were  confronted  by  a  new  force.  This 
force  had  been  thrown  across  the  street  and  had 
piled  up  boxes  and  rubbish  until  they  wrere  fairly 
well  protected.  A  terrific  volley  was  poured  into 
our  ranks  from  this  barricade.  Half  the  few  men 
who  remained,  it  seemed,  went  down  before  that 
volley.  We  were  completely  trapped. 

Our  horses  were  maddened,  and  there  was  no 
checking  them,  even  had  we  wished  to  have  done  so. 
We  galloped  on,  and  in  a  moment  our  horses  were 
springing  upon  the  rude  barricade  which  had  been 
constructed. 

Rifles  were  discharged  in  our  faces,  swords 
slashed  at  our  horses,  and  bayonets  were  upturned 
to  receive  us.  One  fellow  discharged  his  rifle  at  my 
horse,  just  as  we  reached  the  barricade.  The  faith- 
ful beast,  already  wounded  in  a  dozen  places,  sank 
to  the  ground.  I  was  thrown  over  his  head,  but 
fortunately  I  landed  on  my  feet.  My  sword  was 
still  in  my  grasp. 

I  slashed  wildly  about  me,  doing  little  damage, 
but  keeping  the  soldiers  at  a  distance.  I  must  have 
perished  right  there  had  not  Paramonte's  men  come 
rushing  up.  The  government  troops  had  the  idea 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  153 

that  they  had  intrapped  all  of  Paramonte's  force, 
and  were  surprised  at  the  appearance  of  the  new- 
comers. They  immediately  broke  and  fled  as  Para- 
monte's men  fired  a  volley  and  rushed  upon  them. 
Soon  I  was  with  the  rebels  again. 


154  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

THE  SACK  OF  AREQUIPA. 

Of  the  whole  company,  not  more  than  fifteen  came 
out  of  that  hell-hole  alive.  Most  of  these  were 
wounded  more  or  less,  but  as  for  myself  I  was  un- 
touched. My  company  had  gone  to  its  destruction 
in  that  ambush. 

Paramonte's  troops  now  came  up  in  a  constant 
stream,  from  two  directions.  Major  Calcepes  had 
heard  the  firing,  and  he  too  was  hurrying  to  our 
aid.  Paramonte  took  in  the  situation  quickly.  Ow- 
ing to  their  small  force,  perhaps,  the  government 
troop  had  only  barricaded  the  one  street.  They 
relied  upon  their  information  as  correct,  and  had 
been  confident  that  Paramonte  would  walk  into 
their  trap. 

Paramonte's  men  got  around  in  their  rear,  and  in 
half  an  hour  they  were  driven  from  their  strong- 
holds and  their  barricades.  In  open  fighting,  Para- 
monte had  the  advantage  of  numbers,  and  he  soon 
had  the  defenders  of  Arequipa  totally  defeated  and 
scattered  all  over  the  city.  Arequipa  was  ours ! 

The  city  was  more  silent  now.  The  bells  had 
ceased  their  clanging  and  the  whistles  their  ear- 
splitting  shrieks.  There  was  little  of  the  clamor 
and  disorder  that  I  had  expected.  There  was  a 
desultory  rattle  of  scattering  shots  in  different 
quarters  of  the  city,  where  our  men  were  pursuing 
the  government  troops,  but  otherwise  the  city  was 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  155 

now  fairly  quiet.  Men  gathered  on  the  streets  con- 
versing in  awed  whispers.  Women  knelt  and  prayed 
silently.  No  one  made  any  resistance. 

Here  and  there  along  almost  every  street,  and 
in  some  places  thickly,  lay  the  bodies  of  the  sol- 
diers who  had  defended  the  city,  a  warning  to  the 
populace  of  what  they  might  expect  if  they  pro- 
voked us. 

The  barracks  were  in  a  large  wooden  building  in 
the  most  thickly  built  quarter  of  the  city,  and  not. 
far  from  where  the  ambuscade  had  taken  place.  Our 
soldiers  ransacked  and  pillaged  it.  At  last  some 
of  them  set  fire  to  it.  I  don't  know  whether  it  was 
done  out  of  pure  wantonness  on  the  part  of  the 
soldiers,  or  by  Paramoute's  orders.  I  think  it  was 
the  latter.  The  walls  were  light,  and  the  fire  made 
swift  headway.  In  a  few  minutes  the  flames  had 
completely  enveloped  the  huge  shell  of  a  building. 

They  soon  communicated  to  other  buildings.  No 
one  made  any  attempt  to  check  the  mighty  confla- 
gration. The  rebels  merely  looked  on  and  laughed. 
They  were  making  their  power  known  in  the  city 
that  had  dared  to  remain  loyal.  The  regular  fire 
department  and  the  citizen  were  afraid  to  move. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  whole  surrounding  square 
was  in  flames.  It  was  a  weird,  grand  sight.  The 
great,  devouring  tongues  of  fire  leaped  high  into  the 
air,  as  if  endeavoring  to  fasten  their  clutches  upon 
the  very  heavens.  The  crackling  of  the  burning 
wood  was  like  distant  rifle  shots.  Occasionally  a 
wall  or  a  floor  would  fall  with  a  crash,  and  a  million 
sparks  fly  heavenward.  The  roar  of  the  conflagra- 
tion was  like  a  mighty  waterfall.  The  heat  was  so 
great  that  it  scorched  the  faces  of  those  a  block 


156  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

away.    No  one  dared  go  near  the  burning  buildings. 

The  fire  cast  a  weird  glow  over  all  that  portion 
of  the  city.  At  the  windows  of  the  houses  were 
terror-stricken  women  and  children,  wringing  their 
hands  and  clinging  to  each  other,  calling  on  God 
and  the  Virgin  to  protect  them.  Men  who  had 
scoffed  at  God  and  at  prayer  were  on  their  knees, 
believing  that  the  final  day  of  judgment  was  at 
hand. 

Paramonte's  rebels  were  in  all  the  streets.  The 
weird  light  danced  fantastically  upon  the  glisten- 
ing barrels  of  their  rifles.  Their  faces  were  now 
black  in  the  shadow,  and  now  ghastly  white  in  the 
full  glow.  We  were  like  an  army  of  phantoms.  We 
half  expected  an  outbreak  from  the  people,  and 
were  prepared  to  put  it  down  without  mercy,  but 
none  came.  Those  who  were  not  overawed  by  the 
glint  of  the  rifles,  knew  well  that  any  resistance 
would  be  sheer  folly. 

Directly  our  men  grew  more  disorderly  and  im- 
patient. Now  that  the  fighting  was  over,  they 
longed  for  the  excitement  of  pillaging  the  city.  For 
awhile  the  officers  kept  their  men  under  control, 
but  their  lust  for  pillage  was  like  water  dammed 
up,  ready  to  break  forth  with  greater  force  when 
the  restraining  power  was  removed.  Paramonte 
saw  that  the  men  would  break  forth  sooner  or  later, 
and  he  allowed  them  have  their  way.  Ranks  were 
broken  instantly,  and  they  plunged  into  a  carnival 
of  pillage.  They  beat  down  the  doors  of  the  houses 
with  the  butts  of  their  rifles,  and  ransacked  every 
room,  destroying  wantonly  what  they  did  not  care 
to  take  away  with  them.  If  any  man  stood  in  their 
way,  so  much  the  worse  for  him. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  157 

Women  on  their  knees  beseeching  mercy  for 
themselves  and  their  children  were  brutally  kicked 
into  insensibility.  The  brutalities  of  these  men 
made  my  blood  boil. 

They  broke  open  the  shops  and  stores  and  filled 
their  pockets  with  money  and  baubles. 

Only  one  or  two  officers  ventured  to  interfere 
with  their  deviltries.  Even  then  it  was  generally 
in  vain.  I  remember  one  instance  especially  that 
passed  before  my  own  eyes.  Half  a  dozen  wild 
fellows  darted  up  to  the  door  of  a  large  mansion. 
A  white-haired  old  man  met  them  at  the  door  and 
ordered  them  to  leave.  He  bore  no  weapons,  but 
his  voice  was  the  voice  of  one  accustomed  to  com- 
mand. As  by  instinct,  the  men  drew  back.  How- 
ever, the  next  moment  one  of  the  more  hardened 
devils  of  the  lot  sprang  up  with  an  oath  and  plunged 
his  bayonet  into  the  breast  of  the  noble  old  man, 
who  fell  back  without  a  cry. 

A  lieutenant — a  noble  young  fellow — was  stand- 
ing by.  Drawing  a  revolver,  he  confronted  the 
men.  His  whole  frame  was  quivering  with  rage. 
He  stepped  up  to  the  ruffian  who  had  bayoneted 
the  old  man,  and  before  the  fellow  knew  what  he 
was  about,  the  lieutenant  had  shot  him  where  he 
stood. 

The  next  moment,  with  a  cry  of  rage,  the  fellow's 
companions  sprang  upon  the  lieutenant.  They 
quickly  bore  him  to  the  ground  and  literally  hacked 
him  to  pieces  with  their  bayonets  before  any  one 
could  interfere. 

To  make  matters  worse,  some  of  them  had  broken 
into  a  wine  shop  and  rolled  out  half  a  dozen  kegs  of 
liquor.  The  soldiers  proceeded  to  regale  themselves 


158  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

quite  freely.  No  one  dared  to  interfere.  We  knew 
that  these  soldiers  cared  no  more  for  the  lives  of 
their  officers  than  they  did  for  the  lives  of  the 
citizens. 

I  noticed  that  several  of  the  houses  were  guarded 
by  detachments  of  some  of  our  own  best  troops.  I 
supposed  that  Paramonte's  friends  lived  in  them. 
None  of  the  pillagers  approached  them. 

The  pillagers  had  set  fire  to  several  of  the  houses 
after  they  had  ransacked  them,  perhaps  to  hide 
crimes  that  even  these  devils  were  unwilling  to 
have  come  to  light.  The  flames  spread  rapidly.  It 
seemed  as  though  the  whole  city  must  burn. 

For  hours  this  slaughter  and  rapine  continued. 
Men  were  shot  down  in  cold  blood,  without  provo- 
cation. The  women  fared  even  worse  than  the  men. 
The  officers  might  as  well  have  tried  to  sweep  back 
the  waves  of  the  ocean  as  to  check  their  rapacity. 

I  witnessed  that  night  deeds  of  heroism  equal  to 
those  of  the  martyrs  of  old,  and  I  witnessed,  too, 
the  blackest  crimes  that  ever  stained  the  name  of 
an  army.  Unselfish  heroism  was  mingled  with  hell- 
ish ferocity. 

The  horrible  cruelty  of  the  men  sickened  me.  And 
I  was  one  of  them,  too.  In  history  their  crimes 
would  be  my  crimes.  I  pressed  my  hands  to  mv 
face  to  shut  out  the  awful  sights.  Just  then  half 
a  dozen  pillagers  rushed  past  me.  They  darted  up 
to  a  house  near  where  I  was  standing.  Riablo  was 
among  them;  indeed,  he  seemed  to  be  their  ring- 
leader. This  was  not  the  first  act  of  horror  that  he 
had  been  engaged  in  that  night. 

The  door  of  the  house  had  been  locked,  but  they 
beat  it  down  with  the  butts  of  their  rifles.  One 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  159 

fellow  was  pounding  away  with  his  rifle  when  the 
weapon  was  discharged.  The  bullet  passed  through 
his  head,  killing  him  instantly.  His  comrades 
hardly  noticed  his  fall. 

In  a  moment  the  door  fell  in  with  a  crash,  and 
with  shouts  and  curses  the  ruffians  darted  into  the 
hall.  I  glanced  up  at  the  house.  For  an  instant  I 
saw  the  white,  frightened  face  of  a  woman  appear 
at  the  window,  as  if  appealing  for  help. 

Then  the  face  disappeared.  I  heard  the  tramp 
of  the  plunderers  and  the  clashing  of  their  weapons. 
This  was  followed  by  a  woman's  scream.  The  voice 
had  a  familiar  ring  to  it. 

I  had  witnessed  many  a  heinous  crime  that  night, 
and  done  nothing  to  prevent  it.  But  the  cry  of  this 
woman  roused  the  last  spark  of  manliness  and  reck- 
lessness in  me.  I  was  sick  of  their  crimes  and  my 
own  position.  After  all,  I  reflected,  I  could  die 
but  once. 

I  drew  my  sword  and  revolver  and  darted  up  to 
the  house.  I  sprang  recklessly  through  the  door- 
way. Had  an  army  awaited  me  there,  I  should  have 
tried  to  cut  my  way  through  it.  I  heard  the  curses 
of  the  ruffians  in  the  room  to  my  right.  I  had  seen 
the  woman's  face  in  the  window  of  that  room.  Wi  t  h 
my  sword  in  one  hand  and  a  cocked  revolver  in  the 
other,  I  darted  into  the  room. 

The  room  was  dimly  lighted  by  a  hanging  lamp. 
In  the  furthermost  corner  the  woman  was  crouch- 
ing, with  her  back  to  the  wall  and  desperation 
written  on  her  features.  One  of  the  fellows,  a  great 
brute,  had  seized  her  by  the  shoulder.  She  noticed 
my  entrance. 

"Oh,  sefior,"  she  cried,  stretching  out  her  hands 


1GO  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

to  me  imploringly,  "protect  me  from  these  ruffians !" 

I  recognized  her  then.  She  was  the  little  woman 
who  had  aided  Jack  and  me  the  day  after  we 
escaped  from  Santa  Rossa,  She  had  not  recognized 
me,  for  my  face  was  all  blackened  with  powder.  I 
sprang  forward  and  darted  between  the  ruffians 
and  the  woman.  The  fellow  who  had  seized  the 
woman  I  caught  by  the  neck  and  hurled  half  across 
the  room  before  he  realized  that  I  had  interfered. 

"Stand  back!    I  command  you!"   I  said. 

They  saw  that  I  was  an  officer,  and  shrank  back 
a  little. 

"You'd  better  leave  us  alone,"  Riablo  said,  glar- 
ing at  me. 

"You'd  better  get  out  of  here!" 

They  muttered  ominously  together.  I  was  con- 
siderably nonplussed.  I  had  got  into  the  thing,  and 
I  did  not  see  any  way  to  get  out  of  it. 

"You'd  better  let  us  have  our  own  way,  Captain," 
said  Riablo,  speaking  as  a  friend. 

"Your  way  be  damned !"  I  roared,  losing  my  tem- 
per. "I'm  going  to  have  my  way !" 

The  six  ruffians  still  stood  there,  undecided 
what  to  do. 

"I'll  kill  the  first  man  that  advances  a  step,"  I 
threatened. 

The  threat  was  not  without  its  effect.  The  men 
glanced  uneasily  at  each  other.  Finally  a  big,  hulk 
of  a  fellow  stepped  forward  with  a  confident  smile. 
I  had  not  expected  this  open  defiance.  I  had  thought 
the  threat  would  produce  its  effect  without  any  real 
clash.  I  hesitated  only  for  an  instant.  It  would 
never  do  to  show  myself  afraid  to  carry  out  my 
threats. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  161 

The  big  soldier  swaggered  confidently  towards 
me,  with  a  deprecatory  leer.  I  was  furious.  I 
levelled  iny  sword,  and  before  he  could  throw  up 
his  gun  to  ward  off  the  thrust,  my  blade  had  pierced 
his  throat. 

Half  expecting  a  general  attack,  I  quickly  with- 
drew the  weapon  and  sprang  back,  at  the  same 
time  covering  them  with  my  revolver.  With  a  gur- 
gling cry,  the  big  soldier  pitched  forward  and  rolled 
tc  the  floor.  The  blood  was  pouring  from  his  nos- 
trils, his  mouth  and  the  gaping  wound  in  his  throat. 

Riablo  and  the  others  were  deeply  impressed  with 
their  comrade's  death.  They  saw  that  I  was  in 
earnest. 

"Are  you  going  to  leave  this  house  now,  or  will 
I  have  to  run  my  sword  through  another  one  of 
you?"  I  demanded. 

They  muttered  together,  but  never  moved.  I  saw 
that  Riablo  was  the  ring-leader.  I  covered  him  with 
the  revolver. 

"Now,  Riablo,"  I  said  sternly,  "you  are  my 
friend ;  but  leave  this  room,  or  I'll  shoot  you  where 
you  stand." 

Riablo  was  perturbed,  but  he  merely  smiled. 

"But,  Captain  Garnack,"  he  said,  saluting,  "do 
you  know  whose  house  you  are  in?" 

"I  don't  care  whose  house  it  is !    Clear  out !" 

"This  is  the  house  of  Colonel  Aguilar  of  the  gov- 
ernment troops.  It  belongs  to  the  enemy." 

"I  don't  care  whose  house  it  is,"  I  returned.  "If 
you're  not  out  of  this  room  before  I  count  ten,  then 
I'll  put  a  bullet  through  your  brain.  I  mean  just 
what  I  say,  Riablo." 

I  started  counting.     One,  two,  three.     Riablo 


162  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

looked  about  with  some  trepidation,  and  the  others 
were  terribly  frightened.  Four,  five.  Riablo  was 
shifting  nervously  from  one  foot  to  the  other.  I 
noticed  his  hand  clutching  the  lock  of  his  rifle.  I 
realized  how  great  was  the  temptation  for  him  to 
risk  everything  and  try  a  shot  at  me.  But  I  had 
him  covered,  and  had  he  raised  the  gun  I  would 
have  sent  him  into  eternity  in  an  instant.  He  knew 
this  as  well  as  I  did.  Six,  seven,  eight.  My  finger 
was  on  the  trigger.  I  meant  to  carry  out  my  threat 
to  the  letter.  Riablo  was  still  smiling  imperturb- 
ably,  but  I  knew  that  the  smile  was  only  a  mask. 

It  is  more  than  human  nature  can  endure  to 
stand  up  while  some  one  counts  off  the  seconds  re- 
maining of  life.  With  a  cry  Riablo  turned  and 
fled,  and  his  comrades  fell  over  themselves  in  fol- 
lowing his  example. 

Nine,  ten.  The  five  men  were  in  precipitate  re- 
treat. I  was  alone  in  the  room  with  the  woman 
and  the  dead  man. 

When  I  made  sure  that  Riablo  and  his  villainous 
crew  had  really  left  the  house,  I  put  up  my  revolver 
and  sword  and  turned  to  the  woman.  She  was  still 
standing  in  the  corner,  but  just  as  I  turned  to  her, 
the  reaction  came  upon  her.  She  swayed  forward, 
her  limbs  seemed  to  give  way  beneath  her.  She 
would  have  fallen  had  I  not  caught  her  in  my  arms. 

I  carried  the  slender,  fragile  little  form  across 
the  room  and  laid  her  upon  a  sofa.  She  was  not 
wholly  unconscious ;  the  reaction  had  merely  over- 
powered her  senses.  I  had  a  flask  of  brandy  in  my 
pocket,  and  I  forced  a  little  through  her  lips.  This 
quickly  brought  back  her  strength. 

"Oh,  who  are  you?"  she  cried  in  alarm,  as  she 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  163 

caught  sight  of  my  powder-stained  face.  "Ah,  I 
remember  you  now.  You  are  the  man  who  saved 
me  from  those  ruffians." 

She  sat  upright. 

"Is  there  anything  more  that  I  can  do  for  you?" 
I  asked. 

"Your  voice  sounds  familiar,"  she  said,  peering 
into  my  face.  "Where  have  I  seen  you  before?" 

"Oh,  madame,"  I  cried,  "don't  you  remember  the 
man  who  so  imposed  upon  you  when  he  had  just 
escaped  from  Santa  Rossa?  I  was  then  Seiior 
Bellarez,  but  my  name  is  Garnack." 

"Surely  you  are  not  Seiior  Bellarez,"  she  ex- 
claimed, blushing  crimson  at  the  remembrance  of 
our  parting. 

"Senor  Bellarez  and  Captain  Garnack  of  the 
rebel  army  are  one  and  the  same." 

She  shuddered  at  the  mention  of  the  rebel  army. 

"But  first  of  all  I  am  a  friend  of  yours,"  I  made 
haste  to  assure  her. 

"I  was  sure  you  would  come  back  to  me,"  she 
said,  with  a  vacant,  dreamy  look  in  her  eyes,  and  a 
sweet,  sad  little  smile  on  her  face.  "I  have  felt  it 
all  along." 

"I  ain  charmed  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
again."  She  was  a  dear  little  creature,  and  I  really 
believed  that  I  cared  for  her. 

"You  probably  saved  my  life,"  she  said,  smiling 
upon  me.  "I  shall  not  forget  it." 

"I  would  go  through  fire  for  your  sake." 

"Oh !"  she  exclaimed,  with  a  little  gasp  of  min- 
gled pleasure  and  pain. 

"Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for  you?"  I  con- 
tinued. 


164:  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"No,  I  don't  believe  there  is,"  she  said  slowly. 
Her  eyes  were  averted. 

"If  there  is  anything,  just  name  it." 

"There  is  nothing,  Captain  Garnack,  that  you 
can  do,"  she  said,  sadly. 

"Then  I  must  be  going.  I  must  rejoin  our 
troops." 

"Good  bye,  Captain,"  she  said,  with  a  little  catch 
in  her  voice.  "You  will  come  to  me  again?" 

"Willingly,  if  you  desire  it." 

"Yes,  do!"  she  exclaimed,  impulsively.  "No, 
don't !"  she  added,  with  a  broken  sob. 

I  was  strangely  affected  by  this  little  woman. 

"You  haven't  told  me  your  name  yet,"  I  ven- 
tured. 

The  little  woman  flushed  suddenly,  and  a  look 
of  pain  came  over  her  face. 

"I  hoped  you  wouldn't  ask  that,"  she  replied, 
brokenly.  "My  name  is  Manuela  Aguilar.  My 
husband  is  in  command  of  the  government  troops 
here."  She  hid  her  face  from  me. 

"Your  husband!"    I  exclaimed. 

"Yes — oh,  Senor  Garnack,  please  go,"  she  said, 
sobbing. 

I  touched  her  little  white  hand  to  my  lips  and 
glanced  into  her  eyes,  now  glistening  with  tears. 
Her  cheeks  were  crimson,  and  she  averted  her  eyes. 
I  knew  then  that  she  loved  me. 

I  hurried  away  from  her  out  onto  the  street. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  165 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ROSSA 

There  were  none  of  the  rebels  on  that  street,  but 
I  could  hear  their  shouts  a  short  distance  away.  I 
hastened  in  that  direction.  The  glare  from  the 
burning  buildings  still  lit  up  the  city  with  weird 
splendor,  the  blackest  shadow  one  moment  being 
light  as  day  the  next.  It  was  Paramonte's  token 
of  power. 

Paramonte  was  concentrating  his  men  again 
when  I  found  him.  The  narrow  street  was  swarm- 
ing with  them.  The  officers  were  among  them  trv- 
ing  to  reorganize  them.  They  were  glutted  to  their 
fill  of  pillaging  now,  and  reorganization  was  not  so 
difficult  as  it  would  have  been  an  hour  ago.  Soon 
they  were  in  something  like  regular  formation,  but 
there  were  many  stragglers. 

Directly  some  one  of  the  officers — I  think  it  was 
Paramnnte  himself — started  the  cry,  "To  Santa 
Ivossa  !  To  the  prison !  Avenge  our  comrades!" 

A  thrill  of  excitement  passed  over  me.  We  would 
destroy  the  old  prison  where  Barrez  and  the  other 
brave  souls  had  died  for  our  cause!  The  men 
greeted  the  suggestion  with  a  great  cheer. 

"To  the  prison !  To  Santa  Rossa  !"  they  took  up 
1h<»  cry. 

With  wild  shouts  and  cheers  the  column  started 
forward.  There  were  between  three  and  four  hun- 
dred of  us.  The  rest  were  straggling.  The  prison 


166  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

was  a  considerable  distance  off,  and  before  we  had 
traversed  half  the  distance  the  loosely  formed  lines 
were  broken,  and  instead  of  an  army,  we  were  again 
a  mere  howling  mob.  The  officers  lost  control  over 
the  men.  They  shouted  and  yelled  and  brandished 
their  rifles  until  one  would  have  thought  they  were 
demons  let  loose  from  the  lowest  pit  of  hell. 

I  was  in  the  foremost  rank,  though  the  Lord  only 
knows  how  I  got  there.  I  would  probably  have  got 
out  had  I  been  able  to  do  so,  but  I  was  wedged  in 
between  half  a  dozen  yelling,  demoniacal  soldiers, 
unable  to  move  in  any  direction  but  forward.  We 
met  with  no  resistance  as  we  swept  onward.  If  a 
man  stumbled  and  fell,  it  was  his  own  lookout.  No 
one  halted  for  him ;  no  one  offered  any  assistance. 

Soon  we  were  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and 
the  prison  loomed  up  before  us.  Intoxicated  by  the 
prospect,  we  rushed  straight  at  the  gates.  Our 
advance  was  not  unopposed,  though.  Soldiers  had 
been  stationed  outside  the  walls  in  anticipation  of 
an  attack  on  the  prison.  Crack !  crack !  came  the 
report  of  their  rifles.  Bullets  whistled  about  us, 
and  one  or  two  men  pitched  forward. 

We  scattered  and  rushed  upon  the  soldiers.  They 
were  only  a  few  in  number,  but  they  made  a  spirited 
resistance.  A  dozen  of  our  men  went  down  before 
their  volleys.  Still,  our  numbers  were  overpower- 
ing, and  in  a  minute  we  were  bayoneting  the  de- 
fenders of  the  prison.  In  five  minutes  all  resistance 
was  over. 

We  rushed  up  to  the  great  iron  gates,  but  they 
were  shut,  and  we  could  not  beat  them  down  with 
our  guns.  The  men  procured  a  great  beam  from 
somewhere,  and  began  using  it  against  the  gate  as 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  167 

a  battering  ram.  The  angry  soldiers  swarmed  up 
behind,  eager  to  dash  into  the  court-yard  as  soon  as 
the  gates  were  beaten  down. 

The  impromptu  battering  ram  was  brought 
against  the  gate  with  all  the  force  of  twenty  pair 
of  hands.  The  gate  quivered  and  shook,  but  it  was 
\\ell  made  and  its  fastenings  were  secure.  It  never 
budged. 

This  slow  work  did  not  satisfy  the  surging  mob 
behind  us.  Everybody  wanted  to  get  into  the  prison 
immediately.  Some  of  them  rushed  up  to  the  walls 
and  swarmed  upon  each  other's  shoulders  until  the 
topmost  could  see  over  the  wall.  At  the  same  time 
the  rattle  of  fire  arms  began  to  sound  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  court-yard.  I  thought  the  guards  in- 
side were  firing  at  the  men  who  were  swarming 
over  the  wall,  but  I  was  quickly  undeceived. 

''They've  turned  the  prisoners  loose  and  they're 
shooting  them,"  the  men  at  the  top  of  the  wall  cried 
out. 

There  must  have  been  quite  a  number  of  guards 
in  the  court-yard,  for  those  who  were  fortunate 
enough  to  reach  the  top  of  the  wall  did  not  feel 
called  upon  to  drop  on  over. 

The  delay  was  maddening.  The  men  at  the  bat- 
tering ram  were  still  pounding  away  at  the  gate, 
but  without  effect.  The  steady  rattle  from  within 
told  that  the  prisoners  were  being  massacred.  In 
a  moment  there  was  a  great  shouting  from  the 
outer  edge  of  the  mob.  A  lane  was  quickly  opened 
up  for  half  a  dozen  men  who  had  procured  a  keg 
of  powder  and  a  fuse  from  somewhere.  They  meant 
to  blow  the  wall  up. 

Ready  bayonets  quickly  dug  out  a  hole  of  suffl- 


168  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

cient  size  in  the  base  of  the  wall.  The  powder  was 
rammed  into  it  and  the  fuse  affixed.  Then  one  of 
the  fellows  struck  a  match  and  lighted  the  fuse. 

"Stand  back!  Stand  back!"  they  shouted.  "For 
God's  sake  let  us  get  away !" 

A  sudden  panic  seemed  to  strike  the  crowd. 
Everybody  tried  to  scramble  over  everybody  else  in 
a  mad  rush  to  get  away  from  the  explosion.  Those 
who  stumbled  were  either  carried  on  by  the  surging 
mob  or  trampled  under  foot  and  left  to  their  fate. 
T  was  no  better  than  the  rest.  I  had  been  right  in 
front  and  was  consequently  among  those  nearest 
the  wall.  Those  further  away  were  unwilling  to 
make  way  for  us,  and  we  were  jammed  together  like 
sardines. 

I  glanced  hurriedly  back  at  the  wall.  I  was  only 
a  few  yards  away  from  it.  The  fuse  was  almost 
burned  up  to  the  powder.  I  tried  to  get  further 
away,  but  could  not.  In  a  moment  there  was  a 
blinding  flash,  a  terrific  roar,  and  the  very  earth 
beneath  our  feet  trembled  at  the  force  of  the  con- 
cussion. Great  fragments  of  rock  were  hurled  into 
the  air.  Fortunately,  most  of  these  fell  inward. 
Only  one  great  block  fell  close  to  me.  The  man 
who  had  lighted  the  fuse  was  in  its  path,  and  he 
was  crushed  into  a  shapeless  mass. 

For  a  moment  the  mob  was  silent,  as  if  held 
under  a  spell.  Then  the  smoke  slowly  lifted,  and 
we  beheld  a  breach  of  several  yards  width  in  the 
high  stone  wall.  Shouting  and  brandishing  our 
weapons,  we  dashed  through  the  breach.  The  de- 
bris was  piled  up  in  great  masses  all  about  the 
place,  but  we  scrambled  over  the  obstructions  with- 
out noticing  them. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION,  169 

Soine  twenty-five  or  thirty  soldiers  and  guards 
were  gathered  about  the  prison,  blazing  away  with 
their  rifles.  The  outer  door  of  the  prison  was  open, 
and  we  could  see  the  prisoners  as  they  scrambled 
about  in  the  corridor.  There  were  many  dead  men 
among  them,  and  the  guards  were  still  pouring 
volley  after  volley  into  the  huddled  mass.  They 
had  let  the  prisoners  out  of  their  cells  merely  for 
the  sake  of  killing  as  many  of  them  as  possible  be- 
fore we  could  rescue  them. 

However,  as  we  poured  through  the  breach  they 
turned  upon  us.  They  were  desperate,  for  they  re- 
alized that  their  lives  were  as  good  as  gone.  They 
expected  no  mercy  at  our  hands.  They  fired  at  us 
as  we  swarmed  into  the  court-yard  with  consider- 
able effect.  We  did  not  reply  to  their  fire,  but  we 
swept  down  upon  them.  Nothing  could  have 
stopped  us.  In  a  moment  we  were  swarming  around 
the  few  guards,  slashing  at  them  with  our  swords, 
running  them  through  with  our  bayonets,  and  beat- 
ing them  down  with  our  clubbed  rifles. 

The  fighting  was  sharp  and  brisk  for  a  few  min- 
utes, but  nothing  could  have  withstood  the  impet- 
uosity of  our  assault.  The  fighting  was  soon  over, 
and  all  the  guards  killed  or  taken  prisoners. 

What  followed  was  all  done  so  swiftly  that  it 
seemed  only  a  hideous  dream.  The  poor  guards 
were  given  no  respite.  About  a  dozen  of  them  were 
taken  alive.  They  had  hardly  ceased  fighting  when 
they  were  lined  up  against  the  prison  wall.  Then, 
almost  before  they  realized  what  we  were  about, 
the  command  to  fire  was  given  and  their  bodies  were 
riddled  with  bullets. 

Those  of  the  prisoners  who  had  not  been  killed 


170  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

by  the  murderous  fire  of  the  guards,  swarmed  out 
of  the  corridor.  There  were  about  a  hundred  of 
them,  villainous  looking  fellows — men  guilty  of 
every  crime  for  which  civilization  had  a  name.  They 
would  be  excellent  recruits  for  Paramonte's  army, 
provided  they  could  be  broken  even  to  our  lax  dis- 
cipline. 

Fifty  or  more  of  the  prisoners,  though,  lay  dead 
in  the  corridor,  silent  testimony  to  the  ferocity  of 
the  guards.  Half  a  dozen  of  our  men  hurried 
through  the  prison  examining  the  cells  to  see  that 
none  were  left  behind,  and  dragging  out  the 
wounded. 

Three  great  blasts  were  placed  under  different 
sections  of  the  prison,  which  was  built  entirely  of 
stone,  and  consequently  could  not  be  burned.  We 
were  forced  back  to  the  limits  of  the  court-yard,  and 
the  fuses  were  lighted.  There  were  three  terrific  ex- 
plosions following  in  close  succession.  Great  blocks 
of  stone  were  strewn  all  over  the  court-yard.  When 
the  smoke  lifted,  all  that  remained  of  Santa  Rossa 
prison  was  a  smoking  heap  of  blackened  stones. 

Our  work  in  Arequipa  was  finished.  Our  men  were 
brought  together  by  patrols,  and  were  formed  into 
companies  once  more.  Many  were  still  missing,  but 
we  left  them  behind.  Just  as  the  sun  was  rising 
upon  the  sacked  and  plundered  city,  we  marched 
out.  The  hundred  prisoners  we  had  released  were 
with  us.  Many  of  our  men  were  carried  on  stretch- 
ers, and  others  hobbled  along  with  the  aid  of  a  cane 
or  a  crutch.  All  along  the  line  bandaged  heads 
were  to  be  seen,  and  arms  in  slings.  However,  con- 
sidering the  amount  of  damage  that  we  had  in- 
flicted we  came  off  very  well  indeed,  notwithstand- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  171 

ing  that  my  company  had  been  almost  totally  anni- 
hilated. 

As  we  ascended  the  mountain  side,  I  looked  back 
upon  the  plundered  city.  The  flames  were  still 
raging  at  many  points,  but  at  other  points  it  had 
gone  down.  Truly  we  had  blazoned  our  name  in 
letters  of  fire  upon  the  memory  of  the  good  people 
of  Arequipa.  The  night's  work  had  been  brilliant, 
yet  damnable.  Yet  what  was  to  be  the  result  of 
all  this  pillage?  Would  it  not  bring  enough  troops 
to  Arequipa  to  hunt  down  our  little  army?  Before 
the  month  was  over,  might  not  we  be  facing  a  firing 
squad,  even  as  those  poor  wretches  down  yonder 
had  faced  us?  Who  could  tell  what  results  were 
to  come  of  that  night's  work? 

I  glanced  with  idle  curiosity  over  the  faces  of  the 
prisoners  whom  we  had  rescued  from  the  horrors  of 
Santa  Rossa.  Most  of  them  were  villainous  looking 
fellows,  but  I  caught  sight  of  one  who  had  a  better 
appearance.  Would  wonders  never  cease?  The 
man  was  the  bluff,  open-faced,  yet  traitorous  Whit- 
man. He  saw  me  and  recognized  me. 

"Why,  (iarnack!"  he  exclaimed,  "this  is  a  sur- 
prise! What  the  devil  you  doin'  here?  Thought 
you  got  shot  back  there  at  Santa  Rossa." 

"And  what  the  devil  are  you  doing  here?''  I  re- 
turned hardly  able  to  restrain  my  wrath  against 
the  impostor.  "How  does  it  come  that  you  weren't 
shot  with  the  rest  of  our  fellows?  I  escaped,  or 
I  would  have  been." 

"I  was  lucky,"  he  said  with  a  chuckle.  "You 
bet  I'm  glad,  now,  seein'  how  things  have  turned 
out,  that  I  was  abducted,  or  whatever  you  call  it, 
from  the  Sallv  J." 


172  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"What  do  you  mean?'' 

"Why,  they  brought  me  up  in  person  before  their 
very  august  court-martial.  They  didn't  consider  me 
the  hardened  criminal  that  they  did  the  rest  of  you 
fellows.  I  told  'em  a  most  wonderful  and  eloquent 
pack  of  lies.  I  told  'em  that  I  didn't  know  that  the 
Sally  J.'s  cargo  was  to  be  used  against  their  infernal 
old  government,  and  that  I  was  only  a  passenger, 
and  a  lot  of  rubbish  like  that.  I  threatened  all  sorts 
of  foreign  complications  and  dire  disasters.  I 
emphasized,  as  it  were,  the  point  that  I  hadn't 
done  anything  against  their  infernal  old  gov- 
ernment, and  that  I  had  helped  that  spy  of 
theirs  to  do  his  dirty  work.  They  looked  wise  and 
considered  the  matter  again.  I  threatened  more, 
and  they  considered  more.  At  last  they  solemnly 
informed  me  that  they  wouldn't  shoot  me  like  they 
was  goin'  to  do  the  rest  of  you.  Still,  they  thought 
it  wouldn't  do  to  turn  me  loose.  I  was  a  dangerous 
animal,  what  had  better  be  shut  up  in  a  cage  and 
looked  at  from  a  distance.  They  sent  me  back  to 
the  prison  to  stay  there  till  they  chose  to  let  me  go. 
God  knows  I  never  expected  to  get  out  of  the  place." 

I  did  not  believe  what  he  was  telling  me.  I  pro- 
nounced him  the  most  accomplished  liar  in  all  Peru. 
This  tale  was  false,  as  the  tale  of  his  abduction 
from  the  Sally  J.  and  being  Jack's  brother  was 
false.  He  had  been  put  in  the  prison  to  worm  Para- 
monte's  secrets  from  the  prisoners,  and  now  our 
raid  had  put  him  in  still  better  position  to  learn 
these  secrets. 

I  started  to  denounce  him  then  and  there  as  a 
scoundrel  and  a  liar  and  a  spy,  but  upon  reflection 
I  changed  this  plan.  I  always  like  a  little  gallery 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  173 

play,  and  an  idea  of  that  sort  struck  me.  Jack  bad 
been  left  back  at  the  camp  among  the  mountains 
with  half  a  company.  I  would  take  Whitman  back 
there  and  confront  him  with  Jack.  It  would  be 
more  dramatic. 

"I'm  devilish  glad  to  see  you,  old  fellow,"  I  said 
as  naturally  as  I  could.  "We've  got  a  fine  army 
here,  and  you  will  be  proud  to  serve  with  it." 

For  two  hours  more  our  march  wras  continued.  I 
grew  more  impatient  all  the  time.  I  kept  up  a 
friendly  conversation  with  Whitman  all  the  time, 
but  it  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  my  anger  from 
boiling  over. 

At  last  we  arrived  at  the  camp.  Whitman  ex- 
pected nothing.  I  conducted  Whitman  straight  to 
the  tent  where  I  learned  that  Jack  was.  I  knew 
that  there  would  be  a  scene,  but  I  was  afraid  that 
Jack  would  play  the  coward  again  and  mar  its 
effect.  I  threw  back  the  flap  of  the  tent  and  ushered 
Whitman  in.  Jack  was  there.  He  was  just  pre- 
paring to  go  out  and  meet  us.  As  Whitman  caught 
sight  of  him,  he  stepped  back  and  clapped  his  hand 
to  his  head  as  in  pain.  Jack  evidently  did  not  re- 
cognize the  fellow,  but  I  thought  from  the  puzzled 
expression  on  his  face  that  he  saw  something 
familiar  in  his  face. 

"Jack,"  I  said  calmly,  "allow  me  to  introduce  to 
you  the  honorable  Mr.  Whitman,  the  man  who  has 
been  palming  himself  off  as  your  brother — oh,  you 
villain!"  this  last  to  Whitman. 

Whitman  himself  was  very  pale,  and  seemed  to 
be  laboring  under  some  great  emotion.  His  lips 
moved  as  if  he  were  endeavoring  to  speak,  but  no 
sound  came  from  his  lips.  W7ith  more  bravado  than 


174  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

I  would  have  expected  of  him,  Jack  stepped  up  to 
his  false  brother  and  shook  his  clenched  fist  in  hi.s 
face. 

"Now,  my  friend,"  he  said,  with  his  voice  below 
the  ordinary,  "whoever  you  are — God  knows  I 
haven't  the  slightest  idea — I  would  like  to  know 
why  you  are  in  this  country  as  my  brother?"  Jack 
spoke  deliberately,  pausing  upon  each  word  to  give 
it  additional  emphasis. 

"I — I ,"  Whitman  began,  but  words  failed 

him. 

"If  you  are  a  detective,"  continued  Jack  huskily, 
"why,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  say  so,  and  one  of 
us  will  never  leave  this  country  alive." 

Whitman  had  recovered  somewhat  by  this  time. 

"Calm  yourself,  my  dear  young  man,"  he  said, 
imitating  Jack's  deliberative  speech.  "I  am  no 
detective.  I  can  explain  everything." 

Jack's  thin  lips  curled  into  a  contemptuous  sneer. 

"Explain,  if  you  can." 

"God  knows  everything  I've  done  has  been  for 
your  good !"  said  Whitman,  speaking  with  agita- 
tion. 

"In  God's  name,  who  are  you?"  cried  Jack. 

"My  name  is  Alfred  Raymond." 

"You  are  Al  Raymond?"  interrupted  Jack,  his 
eyes  dilating. 

"That's  my  name,  and  now  that  you  know  me,  it 
isn't  necessary  to  add  that  my  sister  Nellie  was 
your  sweetheart.  She  sent  me  here  after  you." 

Jack  could  not  speak. 

"Ever  since  I  was  twenty  years  old,"  continued 
Whitman,  or  rather,  Raymond,  "I  have  been  in  the 
employ  of  the  Peruvian  Nitrate  Company.  A  few 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION  175 

mouths  ago  I  got  a  vacation  and  went  home  oil  a 
\isit.  I  had  left  uiy  sister  Nellie  a  mere  slip  of  a 
girl.  When  I  returned  she  was  a  grown  woman, 
pining  away  on  account  of  a  lover  who  had  robbed 
a  bank  and  then  fled.  She  loves  you,  Jack,  and  if 

you ,"  Raymond  suddenly  checked  himself,  but 

his  eyes  flashed  angrily. 

"She  wanted  to  join  you  somewhere — anywhere," 
continued  Kaymond.  "She  persuaded  me  to  come 
down  here  and  hunt  you  up,  and  then  get  you  some 
place  where  she  can  join  you.  In  that  letter  you 
wrote  her,  you  said  you  had  joined  the  rebels,  or 
something  of  the  sort.  Now,  I  knew  of  Paramonte 
while  I  was  in  Peru.  I  ran  across  him  in  Chicago. 
Me  was  buyin'  firearms,  and  I  had  a  pretty  good 
idea  of  what  he  was  up  to.  I  thought  that  most 
likely  you  had  got  with  him.  That's  why  I  entered 
his  service.  I  had  another  reason.  I  won't  deny 
that.  Seiior  Garnack  knows  what  it  is,  but  it  don't 
concern  this  matter.  On  account  of  this  reason,  I 
couldn't  have  got  with  Paramonte  under  my  real 
name.  As  I  had  to  go  under  a  false  name,  I  thought 
I  would  pass  off  as  your  brother.  I  could  search 
for  you  with  less  suspicion  then.  Now  you  know 
who  I  am  and  why  I  am  here." 

"God  bless  you — and  Nellie!"  was  all  that  Jack 
could  say. 

Jack  said  that  he  couldn't  be  of  any  use  to 
Paramonte,  and  he  was  determined  to  get  out  of 
Peru  and  go  to  Buenos  Ayres,  or  some  place  where 
Nellie  could  join  him.  Nothing  could  dissuade  him 
from  his  determination.  He  wanted  Raymond  to 
go  with  him,  but  Raymond,  for  reasons  which,  I 


1?li  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

could  easily  guess,  said  that  he  would  stay  with 
Paramonte.  Indeed,  when  we  were  alone,  he  told 
me  quite  frankly  that  he  wished  to  stay  and  serve 
Paramonte  so  well  that  the  old  man  would  allow 
him  to  marry  Carmencita, 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  177 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

MY  JOURNEY  TO  MOLLENDO. 

Jack  wanted  me^to  go  with  him  to  Paramonte 
and  get  him  to  consent  to  Jack's  going  away.  Of 
course  I  could  not  refuse  the  request.  Raymond's 
straightforward  explanation  had  quite  swept  away 
all  the  suspicions  that  I  had  entertained  concern- 
ing him.  Everything  that  had  seemed  strange  in 
his  actions  was  now  explained  fully,  and  in  such 
a  frank,  open-hearted  manner  as  to  enforce  belief. 

Still,  that  was  not  all.  Raymond  was  in  love 
with  Carmencita :  so  was  I.  If  Paramonte  knew 
Raymond's  real  name  and  motive,  his  hopes  of 
winning  the  old  man's  consent  to  his  marriage 
with  Carmencita  would  be  gone.  I  did  not  be- 
lieve that  even  as  a  suitor  for  his  daughter,  I  was 
very  obnoxious  to  Paramonte.  If  I  disclosed  Ray- 
mond's real  name  and  motive,  the  field  would  be 
more  open  to  me. 

Then  another  thought  struck  me.  If  Carmencita 
was  really  in  love  with  him,  and  her  father  refused 
to  allow  her  to  marry  him,  she  might  elope  with 
him.  In  that  case,  all  my  hopes  would  be  gone. 
Then,  I  really  believed  that  Carmencita  loved  me 
best.  Besides,  I  always  liked  fair  play.  I  decided 
that  I  would  keep  Raymond's  identity  secret,  and 
we  would  fight  the  battle  of  love  with  equal  ad- 
vantages. I  knew  that  Raymond  expected  this  of 
me;  but  then  he  did  not  know  that  I,  too,  was  in 


178  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

love  with  Carmencita,  Still,  I  resolved  not  to  be- 
tray his  secret.  This  resolve,  however,  amounted 
to  nothing,  as  it  proved. 

Taking  Jack  along  with  me,  I  went  to  Para- 
monte's  tent.  As  I  had  hoped,  he  was  alone.  He 
welcomed  us  warmly. 

"Senor  Whitman,  here,  as  you  know,"  I  began, 
"escaped  with  me  from  Santa  Rossa.  He  has  just 
received  a  message  from  home.  His  brother — you 
remember  him — was  among  those  we  rescued  from 
Santa  Rossa  last  night.  Jack  desires  to  go  away 
now.  His  brother  will  remain.  We  came  here  to 
get  your  permission  for  Jack  to  go  away." 

Jack  did  not  know  or  did  not  remember  that 
Raymond  still  wanted  his  identity  concealed. 

"His  name  is  really  not  Whitman,  and  he  is  not 
really  my  brother,  but ,"  he  said  in  explana- 
tion. 

"Jack !"  I  cried,  casting  him  a  warning  glance. 
It  was  too  late  to  remedy  matters  now. 

Paramonte  started  up  in  surprise.  Jack  saw 
that  he  had  put  his  foot  in  it.  He  was  frightened. 

"Whitman  not  really  his  name?"  Paramonte 
exclaimed.  "Then  what  is  his  real  name?" 

We  might  still  have  concealed  Raymond's  iden- 
tity by  giving  him  a  second  false  name,  had  Jack 
known  that  he  wished  to  have  that  identity  con- 
cealed. 

"His  name  is  Raymond,"  Jack  answered  with 
alacrity,  giving  me  no  time  for  a  word.  "He  didn't 
mean  any  harm  by  passing  off  as  my  brother. 
He " 

"You  say  his  name  is  Raymond?"  Paramonte 
repeated,  a  trouble^  look  coming  into  his  face, 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  179 

"Yes,  sir;  that's  his  name.  I  hope  to  marry  his 
sister  when  I  get  away  from  here,"  Jack  said, 
blushing. 

"That's  it,  is  it?"  Paramonte  said  with  a  pre- 
occupied air.  "And  doubtless  he  wants  to  marry 
somebody.  You  may  go  now,  Senor  Whitman." 

Jack  rose  and  left  the  tent.  I  started  to  follow 
him. 

"No,  wait  a  while,  Captain  Garnack,"  Paramonte 
said.  "I  want  to  talk  with  you." 

I  sat  down.  I  knew  that  Paramonte  at  least  sus- 
pected the  truth.  The  best  thing  I  could  do  was  to 
make  a  clean  breast  of  all  I  knew  of  the  affair. 

"What  do  you  know  about  this  fellow  Ray- 
mond?" he  asked  abruptly. 

"Only  what  he  has  told  me." 

"Has  he  ever  been  in  Peru  before?" 

"He  says  that  he  has  lived  here  from  the  time 
he  was  twenty  years  old  until  a  few  months  ago. 
I  think  he  was  employed  at  Callao." 

Paramonte's  face  assumed  a  stern  aspect. 

"It  must  be  the  same,"  he  muttered.  "I  once 
knew  of  a  man  in  Callao  who  was  named  Ray- 
mond." 

"Did  he  look  like  this  man?'' 

"I  never  saw  him.     I  only  knew  of  him." 

"What  kind  of  a  man  was  he?" 

Paramonte  did  not  reply.  lie  was  meditating 
deeply.  I  was  pretty  sure  I  knew  what  was  in  his 
thoughts. 

"You  say  that  this  Raymond  wants  to  stay  with 
me?"  he  asked  finally. 

"That's  what  he  says." 

"Very  well ;  we  will  let  Irim  stay,   We  will  watch 


180  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

him,  though.  He  may  be  a  spy  or  something.  Don't 
let  him  know,  if  possible,  that  I  am  aware  of  his 
identity." 

"I  won't;  but  will  you  let  young  Whitman  go? 
He's  terribly  anxious  to  get  somewhere  where  he 
can  join  his  sweetheart." 

"Yes,  I  suppose  he  can  go.  He's  not  much  good 
as  a  fighter,  and  I  don't  want  to  keep  anybody 
against  his  will." 

"Thank  you,  general;  but  what  way  would  you 
suggest  for  him  to  get  away?  He  wants  to  go  im- 
mediately." 

Paramonte  meditated  a  while.  A  shrewd  smile 
came  over  his  features  and  he  glanced  keenly  at  me. 

"I'll  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,"  I  heard  him 
chuckle,  "maybe  three." 

"The  best  way  I  see  open  for  him,"  he  said,  after 
a  time,  "is  to  go  back  to  Arequipa.  He  can  take 
a  train  there  and  go  to  Mollendo.  Doubtless  there 
will  be  some  vessel  there  that  he  can  get  away  on. 
But,  Captain  Garnack,  how  would  you  like  to  go 
with  your  friend  as  far  as  Mollendo,  to  see  that 
he  gets  away  safe?" 

"I'd  like  it  very  well." 

"You  shall  go,  then,"  said  Paramonte,  briskly. 
"Carmencita,  my  daughter — you  know  her — is 
staying  with  her  aunt  at  Mollendo.  I  wish  to  see 
her,  and  for  me  to  do  this,  she  must  come  to  Are- 
quipa. I  can't  venture  to  Mollendo;  it'll  be  risk 
enough  to  go  to  Arequipa  in  disguise.  Still,  I  can 
afford  to  take  the  risk  to  see  Carmencita  again.  You 
can  go  safely  enough.  Nobody  knows  you  here  as 
they  do  me.  It's  hardly  safe  for  Carmencita  to  come 
to  Arequipa  alone.  You  never  know  what  sort  of 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  181 

people  will  be  met  on  these  trains.  I  shall  ask  you 
to  escort  her.  She  has  another  aunt,  my  sister, 
Seiiora  Palfarmo,  living  in  Arequipa.  She  is  not 
implicated  in  any  way  in  the  revolution.  Carmen- 
cita  will  be  perfectly  safe  with  her." 

The  prospect  was  pleasing.  I  would  see  Car- 
mencita  again, — see  the  woman  I  loved.  I  prompt- 
ly accepted  the  proposition.  A  shrewd  smile  played 
about  the  mouth  of  Seiior  Paramonte.  I  was  con- 
vinced that  he  knew,  or  at  least  suspected,  the  rea- 
sons for  my  eager  acceptance. 

Jack  would  hare  no  delay.  That  very  evening 
we  set  out  for  Arequipa.  Although  we  were  going 
into  the  city  of  the  enemy,  we  were  both  in  the  best 
of  spirits.  We  wore  rough  citizen's  clothing.  Our 
appearance  carried  out  the  character  that  we  had 
decided  to  assume.  We  were  two  Americans  who 
had  been  inspecting  some  mining  property  up  In 
the  mountains. 

We  encountered  only  a  few  persons  until  we 
drew  near  Arequipa.  The  great  city  was  not  alto- 
gether a  pleasant  sight.  Great,  black,  smoking 
spots  indicated  the  burnt  area.  The  fire  was  still 
raging  in  one  quarter. 

The  people  only  stared  at  us  a  little  curiously, 
but  they  did  not  suspect  that  we  were  not  what 
we  seemed.  Everybody  on  the  streets  was  dis- 
cussing the  terrible  calamity  that  had  befallen  the 
city.  It  was  getting  well  along  toward  evening 
when  we  entered  the  city.  We  stayed  at  a  large 
hotel  that  night.  Our  sleep  was  restless,  but  we 
were  not  molested. 

The  train  for  Mollendo  left  Arequipa  early  the 
next  morning.  We  were  on  it.  There  was  but  one 


182  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

passenger  coach,  the  most  uncomfortable  thing  I 
have  ever  traveled  in.  There  were  not  many  travel- 
ers, but  the  car  was  pretty  well  occupied  by  the 
train  men,  of  whom  there  seemed  to  be  a  host. 

The  distance  between  Mollendo  and  Arequipa  by 
railroad  is  given  as  one  hundred  and  seven  miles. 
It  took  our  train  about  ten  hours  to  run  that  dis- 
tance. The  roadbed  was  bad,  and  the  car  without 
springs.  It  was  equal  to  driving  over  a  mountain 
road  on  a  lumber  wagon.  The  engine  groaned  and 
puffed,  the  cars  creaked  and  strained,  and  the 
whole  train  went  at  a  snail's  pace.  We  had  to 
stop  once  or  twice  to  repair  accidents.  The  con- 
stant delay  was  not  conducive  to  sweetness  of 
temper. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Arequipa  the  train  crawled 
out  on  the  treeless,  waterless,  lifeless  desert.  Hour 
after  hour  we  dragged  along  over  the  same  monot- 
onous expanse  of  hot,  gleaming  sand.  The  desert 
seemed  without  beginning  and  without  end. 

At  last  we  began  to  approach  the  coast.  We 
swung  through  the  cut,  round  the  great  curve  and 
then  slowly  labored  into  Tambo,  where  I  had 
fought  my  first  battle  on  Peruvian  soil.  Little 
trace  of  the  battle  now  remained.  At  last,  about 
five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  we  rolled  into  Mollendo. 

We  learned  from  a  gentlemanly  sort  of  fellow 
whom  we  met  on  the  train,  and  who  was  connected 
with  a  shipping  firm  in  Mollendo,  that  there  was  a 
tramp  steamer  then  in  port.  She  would  sail  for 
Buenos  Ayres  the  next  morning.  We  went  imme- 
diately down  the  water  front  and  inspected  the  ves- 
sel. Our  inspection  proved  satisfactory,  the  skipper 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  183 

was  quite  willing  to  carry  a  passenger,  and  Jack 
took  passage. 

After  bidding  Jack  farewell,  I  went  back  to  the 
city.  He  had  written  a  letter  to  Miss  Raymond, 
asking  her  to  join  him  at  Bnenos  Ayres,  and  I  took 
it  back  and  mailed  it.  Then  I  hunted  up  Seiior 
Helaraz's  house.  It  did  not  take  me  long  to  find 
the  place. 

I  went  boldly  up  to  the  door  and  knocked.  A 
courteous,  white-haired  old  servant  admitted  me. 
Just  as  I  started  to  explain  my  mission  to  the  ser- 
vant, Carmencita  herself  appeared  in  the  patio.  A 
look  of  surprise  came  over  her  face.  As  she  recog- 
nized me,  she  smiled  and  swept  toward  me.  I 
thought  she  was  going  to  fall  into  my  arms — and 
certainly  I  would  not  have  objected — but  she  mere- 
ly grasped  my  hands  and  looked  up  into  my  face 
with  a  happy  smile, 

Sefior  Helaraz  and  his  wife  were  also  very  warm 
in  their  greetings.  They  had  heard  something  of 
my  escape  from  Santa  Rossa,  but  nothing  au- 
thentic. 

They  were  sorry  to  have  Carmencita  leave  them, 
but  if  Seiior  Paramonte  desired  her  presence  in 
Arequipa,  of  course  they  could  not  object.  They 
had  heard  of  our  raid  on  Arequipa,  and  plied  me 
with  questions  concerning  it.  They  agreed  with 
me  that  Arequipa  would  hardly  be  a  safe  place  for 
Carmencita. 

"I  think  Paramonte  did  wrong  when  he  made 
the  attack  on  Arequipa,"  Seiior  Helaraz  said,  "or 
at  least  when  he  sacked  and  half  destroyed  the  city. 
I  heard  just  to-day  that  there  are  three  or  four 


184  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

thousand  troops  on  their  way  to  the  south.  One 
regiment  arrived  here  just  this  afternoon." 

"It  might  have  been  better  for  him  to  have  kept 
his  movements  a  little  more  secret.  Still,  a  bold 
stroke  like  that  at  Arequipa  has  a  great  moral 
effect  upon  the  people." 

"That  is  true,  but  still  the  move  makes  Para- 
monte's  position  more  precarious.  He  is  like  a  man 
walking  on  the  edge  of  a  precipice.  One  false  step 
may  precipitate  him  to  destruction." 

"Paramonte  is  not  the  sort  of  a  man  to  make 
a  false  step." 

"Don't  be  too  sure.  In  our  mountains  we  learn 
that  the  most  expert  guide  sometimes  makes  a  false 
step." 

I  had  no  desire  to  remain  in  Mollendo  longer 
than  was  absolutely  necessary.  Next  morning, 
Carmencita  and  I  were  seated  in  the  same  car  that 
had  brought  me  to  Mollendo.  We  had  taken  leave 
of  Sefior  Helaraz,  and  the  train  was  already  under 
way.  I  learned  to  know  Carmencita  better  in  that 
ten  hours'  railway  journey  than  I  could  have 
learned  in  ten  months  of  ordinary  humdrum  ac- 
quaintance. The  car  was  as  uncomfortable  as  it 
had  been  the  day  before,  but  now  it  was  heaven 
to  me. 

In  reality,  Carmencita  was  only  half  Peruvian. 
Her  mother  had  been  an  Englishwoman,  the  daugh- 
ter of  an  English  engineer  who  had  surveyed  some 
railroads  in  Peru.  She  had  died  when  Carmencita 
was  very  young.  The  greater  portion  of  Carmen- 
cita's  life  had  been  spent  under  her  father's  care, 
and  with  some  of  her  mother's  relatives  in  Eng- 
land. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  185 

Time  flew  swiftly.  I  did  not  think  the  journey 
was  half  done  when  we  were  at  Arequipa.  I  took 
Carmencita  to  her  aunt's,  and  then  decided  to  re- 
turn to  the  hotel.  I  was  undecided  whether  to 
spend  the  night  in  Arequipa  or  to  go  back  to  Para- 
monte's  camp. 


186  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

SOME  STRANGE  THINGS. 

As  I  hurried  along  I  caught  sight  of  Satander 
walking  in  the  same  direction,  just  in  front  of  me. 
He  had  not  seen  me.  I  wondered  what  Satander 
was  doing  in  Arequipa.  I  had  my  suspicions, 
though,  and  I  decided  to  follow  him. 

It  was  not  hard  to  follow  him.  He  was  not  sus- 
pecting anything  of  the  sort,  and  never  looked 
around.  He  went  straight  to  the  hotel  where  I 
had  intended  going  myself,  and  entered.  I  hur- 
ried after  him.  In  a  minute  I  was  at  the  hotel  en- 
trance. I  peered  eagerly  into  the  office. 

Satander  was  there.  Without  looking  round,  he 
passed  across  the  room  and  accosted  a  man  stand- 
ing there.  This  man  wore  the  uniform  of  an  offi- 
cer of  the  government  troops.  I  stopped  stock  still 
at  the  unexpected  sight.  Was  Satander  even  now 
betraying  Paramonte's  plans  to  this  officer? 

Of  course  I  could  hear  nothing  of  what  was  be- 
ing said,  but  I  might  have  learned  the  drift  of  the 
conversation  by  the  gestures,  had  not  just  then 
two  or  three  cloaked  cavaliers  strolled  along.  They 
started  up  to  the  hotel.  In  order  to  avoid  sus- 
picion, I  had  to  enter  with  them. 

I  tried  to  remain  unobserved,  but  in  a  moment 
Satander  turned  around  and  caught  sight  of  me. 
His  countenance  expressed  surprise  and  alarm.  He 
whispered  something  hurriedly  to  the  officer.  The 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  187 

officer  turned  away  from  Satander  hastily  and  left 
the  room. 

Satander  hesitated  only  for  a  moment  With 
the  suavest  of  smiles,  he  crossed  toward  me.  De- 
spite his  smiling  countenance  his  fingers  were 
twitching  nervously.  He  was  very  far  from  at  his 
ease. 

"Why,  Captain  Garnack,"  he  exclaimed  with 
forced  cordiality,  "I  didn't  expect  to  see  you  here." 

"Who  was  that  officer  you  were  talking  to?"  I 
asked  bluntly. 

Satander  shot  a  keen  glance  at  me.  I  suppose 
he  wanted  to  know  just  how  much  I  knew. 

"That  was  Colonel  Aguilar  of  the  government 
troops,"  he  replied,  with  a  nonchalant  smile.  He 
spoke  as  if  it  were  the  most  ordinary  thing  in  the 
world  for  a  rebel  to  be  having  a  friendly  chat  with 
a  government  officer.  If  I  had  expected  to  con- 
fuse him,  I  most  certainly  had  failed. 

I  was  very  much  astonished.  Satander  smiled 
superciliously  as  he  noticed  my  evident  surprise. 

"You  are  surprised,  Captain,"  he  said. 

"I  am  surprised,  mightily  surprised,"  I  returned, 
not  knowing  what  else  to  say. 

Satander  laughed. 

"You  thought  I  was  a  traitor,  did  you?  Ha!  ha! 
I  don't  blame  you.  I  would  have  thought  the  same 
thing,  if  our  positions  had  been  reversed." 

"Then  what  the  devil  were  you  doing?"  I  blurt- 
ed out. 

"Colonel  Aguilar  is  a  weak  man.  I  have  a  great 
influence  over  him.  I've  been  trying  to  persuade 
him  to  join  us." 


188  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

Satander  said  this  so  frankly  that  I  was  almost 
forced  to  believe  it. 

"I  am  going  to  return  to  Paramonte's  camp 
now,"  Satander  continued.  "Are  you  going  back? 
I  would  be  glad  to  have  your  company." 

"I  hadn't  intended  to  go  till  to-morrow,  but 
there's  no  reason  for  staying  here  any  longer,  if 
you  want  me  to  go." 

"Very  well,  I  will  go  out  and  order  horses  for 
our  journev,"  said  Satander.  "I  don't  care  to 
walk." 

He  hurried  away,  leaving  me  thoroughly  con- 
fused. He  was  gone  an  unreasonably  long  time. 
At  last  he  returned,  but  not  until  I  had  begun  to 
think  that  his  going  was  only  a  ruse  to  get  away 
from  me.  Even  after  his  return,  he  had  to  attend 
to  this  thing  and  that  thing  that  he  had  forgotten 
before.  It  was  getting  pretty  near  sunset  when  at 
last  we  started  off  on  the  road  that  leads  along  the 
foot  of  Misti.  Satander  was  in  no  hurry,  but  he 
was  nervous  and  agitated. 

"I  have  a  premonition  that  something  is  going  to 
happen  to  us,"  he  said,  "that  we  are  going  to  meet 
with  some  disaster.  I  hope  not,  though." 

I  laughed  at  his  fears.  At  the  same  time  I  put 
my  hand  in  my  pocket  and  made  sure  that  my  re- 
volver was  there. 

We  were  not  far  from  Arequipa  when  the  sun 
sank  beneath  the  horizon.  The  twilight  was  short 
and  darkness  soon  hedged  us  in.  The  moon  had 
risen,  however.  We  had  no  difficulty  in  finding 
our  way.  Satander  was  more  disturbed  than  ever. 

The  horse  Satander  had  secured  for  me  was 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  189 

rather  restive.  I  had  some  difficulty  in  keeping 
him  under  control. 

Directly  we  were  passing  through  a  section  of 
bushy  forest.  Suddenly  four  tall,  black  figures  took 
form  directly  in  front  of  us.  They  appeared  so 
suddenly  and  so  unexpectedly  that  they  seemed 
to  have  sprung  into  existence  right  there  by  some 
supernatural  power.  I  caught  the  gleam  of  rifles 
pointed  in  our  direction.  We  were  in  the  hands  of 
the  gentlemen  of  the  road. 

My  horse  took  fright  at  the  sudden  apparition. 
He  sprang  violently  to  one  side,  almost  unseating 
me.  I  believe  it  was  this  alone  that  saved  my  life. 
The  report  of  four  rifles  rang  out  on  the  clear  moun- 
tain air,  so  closely  blended  that  the  four  were  as 
one.  The  red  flashes  disclosed  the  grim  dark  faces 
behind  the  rifles.  I  saw  that  they  wore  the  uni- 
form of  the  government  troops.  The  soldiers  had 
turned  bandits. 

Their  bullets  whistled  uncomfortably  close  to 
my  head.  Had  not  my  position  been  changed  so 
suddenly  I  would  doubtless  have  received  them  in 
my  body.  As  it  was,  though,  not  one  of  them 
touched  me.  Satander  was  also  untouched. 

I  whipped  my  revolver  out  and  fired  at  the  men. 
At  the  second  shot  one  of  them  uttered  a  howl  of 
pain.  They  all  turned  and  fled  into  the  woods. 

"They  didn't  have  much  grit,"  I  remarked  to 
Satander. 

"No,"  he  growled  surlily. 

We  continued  our  journey.  Satander  did  not 
seem  to  be  very  much  pleased  over  our  narrow  es- 
cape. He  remained  sulkily  silent  all  the  rest  of 


190  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

our  ride.  Occasionally  I  heard  him  muttering  to 
himself,  but  he  never  spoke  to  me. 

Soon  we  left  the  road  and  took  the  trail  that  led 
through  the  forest.  Directly  the  sentry  challenged 
ns,  but  when  he  saw  who  we  were  he  let  us  pass, 
even  though  neither  of  us  knew  the  countersign. 
The  rows  of  little  white  tents  glistened  in  the  moon- 
light. The  campfire  cast  a  weird  glow  over  the 
men  who  were  gathered  about  it. 

Satander  left  me  and  went  straight  to  his  tent. 
I  saw  no  more  of  him  that  night.  A  young  lieuten- 
ant named  Pando  was  the  officer  of  the  guard.  I 
learned  from  him  that  Paramonte  had  gone  to 
Arequipa  early  the  evening  before.  He  did  not 
know  what  Paramonte's  purpose  was,  but  I  was 
sure  that  it  was  to  see  Carmencita.  With  this  in- 
formation I  went  to  bed. 

I  was  pretty  well  fatigued  and  slept  soundly 
throughout  the  night.  The  sun  was  well  up  above 
the  mountains  when  I  awoke.  I  made  my  scanty 
toilet,  ate  my  breakfast  and  strolled  out  into  the 
camp.  I  learned  that  Paramonte  had  already  re- 
turned and  went  to  his  tent. 

He  greeted  me  with  an  excess  of  cordiality.  As  I 
had  supposed,  at  the  r;sk  of  his  life,  he  had  gone  to 
Arequipa  in  disguise  to  see  Carmencita.  He 
thanked  me  profusely  for  having  brought  her  in 
safety  to  Arequipa.  He  was  anxious  to  know  how 
I  had  been  impressed  with  her.  I  hardly  knew  what 
answer  to  this  question  would  be  most  politic. 
Then  I  risked  telling  the  truth  and  said  that  I  had 
never  seen  a  finer  woman.  This  seemed  to  please 
Paramonte.  He  rubbed  his  hands  genially. 

Had  it  been  any  other  man  than  Paramonte  I 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  191 

would  have  believed  that  he  had  sent  me  to  Mollen- 
do  principally  to  throw  me  with  Carmencita.  At 
least  I  did  not  think  that  he  would  object  to  me  as 
a  son-in-law.  I  was  distinctly  pleased  with  this 
thought. 

That  afternoon  I  met  Raymond.  He,  too,  greeted 
me  with  warmth. 

"So  you've  got  back  from  Mollendo,  have  you?" 
he  exclaimed. 

"Yes,  I'm  back." 

"And  what  of  Jack?" 

"He  went  off  on  a  tramp  for  Buenos  Ayres." 

"What  sort  of  a  time  did  you  have  in  Mollendo? 
Fine  little  place,  that.  Been  there  myself.  Not 
equal  to  Callao,  though,  by  a  long  shot.  You  found 
the  railroad  devilish  rough,  I'll  wager." 

"I  had  an  enjoyable  time,"  I  said  enthusiasti- 
cally, "even  on  the  railroad.  Especially  on  the  re- 
turn trip." 

Raymond  was  astonished 

"Never  knew  a  person  to  have  an  enjoyable  time 
on  that  road  before,"  he  said.  "Must  have  been 
some  special  attraction." 

"There  was." 

"What  was  it?" 

"Why,  don't  you  know  that  Carmencita  Para- 
monte  came  up  with  me  from  Mollendo?"  I  ex- 
claimed, eyeing  him  closely. 

He  started  and  turned  a  little  red. 

"She  is  in  Arequipa  now?"  he  asked,  with  an 
awkward  smile. 

"Yes,  she's  staying  there  with  her  aunt." 

"Glad  to  hear  it,  old  man.  You  don't  know  what 
it  is  to  be  in  love,"  He  turned  abruptly  away. 


192  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Two  or  three  hours  later  Paramonte  sent  for 
me. 

"Sit  down,  Captain,"  he  said,  when  I  presented 
myself.  "You  remember  what  we  said  about  Senor 
Raymond.  I  think  there  is  something  wrong  about 
him.  He  has  just  applied  to  me  for  permission  to 
go  to  Arequipa  to-night.  When  I  asked  him  why 
he  wanted  to  go,  he  only  made  excuses.  I  believe 
he  is  up  to  some  villainy.  I  want  you  to  follow  him. 
Find  out  where  he  goes  and  what  he  does.  And, 
especially,  if  he  tries  to  see  Carmencita,  find  out 
as  far  as  you  can  what  passes  between  them.  Don't 
let  him  know  that  you  are  following  him,  though." 

So  Raymond  was  going  to  try  to  see  Carmencita. 
I  did  not  know  how  to  feel  about  it.  About  five 
o'clock  Raymond  left  the  camp.  He  was  aiming  to 
get  to  Arequipa  just  after  nightfall.  Evidently  he 
did  not  want  to  appear  on  the  streets  in  the  day 
time.  As  soon  as  he  had  gone  a  little  way  I  started 
out  after  him.  I  followed  him  closely,  but  I  took 
care  that  he  did  not  see  me.  He  did  not  expect  to  be 
followed  and  I  had  little  difficulty.  He  never 
swerved  from  his  course  toward  the  city.  I  followed 
him  closely,  but  he  never  looked  back. 

Night  had  fallen  when  he  reached  the  city.  I 
had  to  draw  nearer  to  keep  him  in  sight.  I  followed 
him  closely  lest  he  should  shake  me  off  in  the  city. 
In  a  moment  he  turned  off  into  a  side  street,  and 
a  square  or  two  further  on  into  a  broad  avenue.  He 
followed  his  course  with  confidence.  He  evidently 
knew  where  he  was  going  and  how  he  would  get 
there.  He  seemed  perfectly  familiar  with  the  city. 
I  followed  him  closely  as  he  swiftly  threaded  street 
after  street.  He  never  spoke  to  any  one  and  never 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  193 

halted.  I  was  sure  he  had  a  definite  purpose  in 
view,  and  I  thought  I  knew  what  that  purpose  was. 
At  last  my  persistence  was  rewarded.  With  a  quick 
glance  about  him,  which  showed  him  nothing,  he 
hurried  up  to  a  large  mansion. 

As  I  had  expected,  it  was  the  home  of  Carmen- 
cita's  aunt,  where  Carmencita  was  staying.  A  ser- 
vant opened  the  door.  Raymond  spoke  a  word  to 
him  and  was  admitted.  If  Raymond  tried  to  see 
Carmencita,  I  was  to  endeavor  to  hear  what  they 
said. 

For  a  moment  I  was  at  a  loss  for  a  plan.  A  light 
was  shining  from  one  of  the  windows  of  the  house. 
I  saw  the  shadow  of  a  woman  appear  on  the  curtain. 
Most  likely  it  was  Carmencita.  Taking  care  not  to 
be  seen,  I  sprang  over  the  low  railing  which  sur- 
rounded the  yard  and  advanced  to  the  house.  I 
looked  about  again,  but  the  street  was  deserted. 

The  curtain  was  not  entirely  drawn  and  I  had  a 
glimpse  of  the  interior.  Raymond  and  Carmencita 
were  alone  in  the  room.  Raymond  stepped  toward 
Carmencita,  as  if  to  embrace  her.  I  could  hardly 
restrain  my  jealous  fury.  I  could  have  shot  Ray- 
mond then  and  there  and  had  a  perfectly  free  con- 
science. But  no,  Carmencita  shrank  away  from 
him.  I  raised  the  window  a  little  so  that  I  could 
hear  what  they  said. 

"Carmencita,"  Raymond  was  saying,  "don't  you 
love  me  any  more?"  He  could  hardly  speak,  and 
I  pitied  him. 

"Don't  ask  me  that,  please  don't,"  she  returned 
brokenly,  covering  her  face  with  her  hands. 

Raymond  crossed  the  room  and  placed  his  hand 
upon  her  shoulder.  "My  dearest,"  he  said  tenderly. 


194  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Go  away,  oh,  please  go,"  she  returned,  glancing 
up  at  him  beseechingly. 

"Why,  Carinencita,  I — you — 

"Please  go  away.  Don't  ask  me  to  explain  any- 
thing." 

"Carmencita,  is  it  this  fellow  Garnack  who  has 
come  between  us?"  Raymond  demanded  fiercely. 

"Please  don't  ask  me  any  questions.  I  cannot 
answer  them.  I  cannot  answer  them." 

"So  it  is  Garnack,"  he  said,  tightening  his  lips. 
"That  mean,  dastardly,  bloodthirsty  devil  of  an  ad- 
venturer !" 

"Don't!"  Carmencita  said,  raising  her  hands 
weakly. 

"Do  you  love  this  infernal  adventurer?"  Ray- 
mond demanded. 

Carmencita  did  not  answer,  but  her  lips  twitched 
nervously. 

I  had  a  mind  to  put  an  end  to  the  scene  then  and 
there  by  springing  into  the  room  and  making  my- 
self known.  I  might  have  done  this  had  not  the 
unexpected  happened. 

Just  at  this  most  interesting  point  a  servant  ap- 
peared around  the  corner  of  the  house.  He  caught 
sight  of  me  crouching  in  the  window.  Doubtless 
he  took  me  for  a  burglar.  At  any  rate,  he  set  up 
a  great  cry  for  help.  It  would  never  do  to  be  caught 
there  and  marched  off  as  a  burglar.  I  took  to 
flight. 

The  servant  kept  up  his  pursuit  for  a  short  dis- 
tance. The  street  was  deserted  and  no  one  joined 
him.  Before  long  I  was  out  of  his  sight.  After 
scouting  about  for  a  few  minutes  I  hurried  back  to 
the  house. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  195 

Just  as  I  appeared  the  door  was  opened  and  Ray- 
mond came  out.  Carniencita,  a  queenly  figure, 
stood  in  the  doorway.  Her  superb  figure  was 
proudly  erect,  and  her  lips  were  compressed.  She 
was  struggling  to  keep  down  her  emotion. 

"Then  it  is  good-bye  forever?"  said  Raymond 
brokenly. 

I  did  not  catch  Carmeneita's  reply,  but  it  was 
evidently  conclusive.  Raymond  turned  into  the 
street.  He  went  back  over  the  same  route  he  had 
come.  His  head  was  bowed  and  he  seemed  to  find 
his  way  by  intuition  alone. 

He  went  straight  back  to  Paramonte's  camp 
among  the  mountains.  He  never  once  stopped.  By 
midnight  we  were  both  back  in  the  camp. 


196  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

AN  UNDERGROUND  BATTLE. 

The  next  morning  we  left  our  camp  among  the 
mountains  and  started  northward.  I  had  desired  to 
see  Carmencita  again  before  we  left,  but  this  was 
impossible.  It  was  Paramonte's  purpose  to  join 
the  detachments  of  his  men  who  were  at  work  in 
the  northern  portion  of  the  province.  Then,  when 
his  force  was  sufficiently  augmented,  he  meant  to 
march  upon  Lima. 

We  proceeded  but  slowly,  however,  and  by  a 
rather  circuitous  route.  So  at  the  end  of  a  week 
we  were  not  nearly  so  far  away  from  Arequipa  as 
we  might  have  been.  We  did  not  encounter  any 
government  troops. 

It  was  getting  pretty  well  along  toward  evening. 
We  were  traversing  a  mountain  valley,  and  we 
meant  to  go  into  camp  soon.  We  were  not  far  from 
a  little  mountain  town  by  the  name  of  Buco.  We 
had  heard  earlier  in  the  day  that  there  was  a  small 
detachment  of  government  troops  at  Buco. 

"Captain  Garnack,"  Paramonte  was  saying  to 
me,  "I  want  you  to  take  that  fellow  Riablo  and  one 
or  two  others  on  a  scouting  expedition  in  the  di- 
rection of  Buco.  See  if  there  really  are  any  troops 
there.  Riablo  doubtless  knows  the  country.  If 
there  are  any  troops  don't  let  them  know  you  are 
about,  if  you  can  help  it." 

"Very  well,  General." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  197 

Paramonte  proceeded  to  give  me  some  more  ad- 
vice, not  to  fight  unless  it  became  absolutely  neces- 
sary, and  so  on.  He  was  still  engaged  in  this  when 
a  mounted  courier  appeared.  The  fellow  was  dusty 
and  dirty.  He  had  evidently  been  traveling  for 
considerable  time.  Paramonte  recognized  him  im- 
mediately. 

"Why,  Arnel,"  he  exclaimed,  "what's  the  mat- 
ter?" 

The  courier  saluted. 

"New  troops  are  arriving  in  Arequipa  every  day ! 
I  thought  that  you  had  better  know  this." 

"More  troops  in  Arequipa  already?"  Paramonte 
exclaimed. 

"Yes,  General.  One  whole  regiment  had  arrived 
when  I  left  there.  Two  or  three  more  are  now  at 
Mollendo  or  on  their  way  to  Arequipa.  They  have 
artillery." 

"I  didn't  expect  more  troops  in  Arequipa  so 
soon,"  Paramonte  said  with  knitted  brows. 

"Will  you  go  back  to  Arequipa?"  I  asked. 

"I  suppose  it  will  be  best.  Colonel  Romanique 
will  get  here  to-morrow  with  four  hundred  men. 
That  will  give  us  twelve  hundred  in  all,  maybe 
more.  Yes,  as  soon  as  Ilomanique  gets  here  we  will 
march  back  to  Arequipa.  We  will  defeat  the  troops 
there  and  march  north  again." 

"We  are  sure  to  win  in  the  end,"  I  said. 

"I  hope  so — but  don't  delay  any  longer.  Take  a 
few  of  your  men  and  find  out  what  you  can  about 
the  number  of  the  government  troops  at  Buco." 

Since  my  company  had  virtually  suffered  destruc- 
tion in  the  ambuscade  at  Aroqiiipa,  there  had  been 
no  cavalry  division  of  Paramonte's  army.  I  was 


198  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

in  command  of  a  company  of  infantry,  whose  cap- 
lain  was  on  the  sick  list. 

I  selected  Riablo  and  two  other  young  fellows  to 
go  with  me  on  the  expedition.  Riablo  was  not  so 
familiar  with  the  region  as  I  had  hoped,  but  still  I 
thought  we  could  get  along  all  right. 

Just  as  we  were  leaving  the  camp,  we  encount- 
ered Raymond.  So  far  Raymond  had  not  been  as- 
signed to  any  command.  I  had  not  seen  much  of 
him  since  we  had  left  Arequipa.  He  was  rather 
gloomy  and  unsociable.  But  now  the  former 
bluff,  open-hearted  man  appeared. 

"Why,  good  afternoon,  Garnack,"  he  said  with 
more  cordiality  than  I  had  expected.  "Goin'  out 
on  a  scout?" 

"Yes,  I'm  going  to  rustle  up  some  government 
troops  for  a  change.  Paramonte  has  an  idea  that 
there's  a  company  of  them  at  Buco.  Don't  you 
want  to  go  writh  us?" 

"Don't  care  if  I  do,"  he  said  after  a  moment's 
hesitation. 

I  was  really  glad  to  have  the  fellow  with  us. 
Now  that  he  had  thrown  off  his  gloom,  he  was  a 
cheerful,  amusing  companion. 

We  trooped  along  merrily  enough  for  an  hour  or 
two,  laughing  and  chatting  without  a  thought  of 
danger.  We  were  following  a  rough  mountain 
trail,  barely  wide  enough  for  pack  trains  to  pass. 
There  were  many  turns  and  windings  in  the  nar- 
row valley  the  trail  followed,  and  we  could  never 
see  far  ahead. 

We  came  around  one  of  these  abrupt  turns, 
laughing  and  joking.  Not  a  hundred  yards  ahead 
a  company  of  government  troops  were  encamped. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  199 

Unsuspectingly  we  had  stumbled  upon  the  very 
men  we  were  seeking.  For  a  moment  we  stood 
spellbound,  but  then  we  turned  and  fled. 

"Halt!"  they  called  out. 

We  only  dashed  along  the  more  swiftly.  When 
he  saw  that  we  did  not  obey,  the  officer  in  command 
ordered  his  men  to  fire  on  us.  A  volley  rang  out 
and  bullets  whistled  all  about  us.  One  of  the  two 
young  fellows  I  had  taken  with  me  was  struck  and 
pitched  forward  on  his  face,  but  the  rest  of  us  were 
untouched. 

Resistance  by  four  men  against  a  company  would 
be  futile.  Realizing  that  our  only  chance  was  to 
outstrip  our  pursuers  and  get  to  Paramonte,  we 
only  pressed  forward  with  more  speed.  We  had  a 
fair  start  and  the  chances  were  not  at  all  against 
us.  The  soldiers  pursued  close  after  us.  For  half 
a  mile  the  race  continued  without  either  side  mak- 
ing any  perceptible  gain.  They  fired  at  irregular 
intervals,  but  most  of  their  bullets  flew  wide. 

Directly,  however,  they  began  to  gain  on  us.  They 
knew  the  lay  of  the  country  much  better  than  we 
did,  and  they  made  good  use  of  their  superior  knowl- 
edge. We  saw  that  we  were  sure  to  be  overtaken 
before  we  could  reach  Paramonte. 

A  little  side  ravine  branched  off  from  the  main 
valley  a  few  rods  ahead  of  us.  The  ravine  was 
heavily  wooded  and  the  sides  were  steep  and  rocky. 
We  would  have  some  chance  of  concealing  ourselves 
in  the  heavy  forest.  By  general  consent  we  all 
turned  into  it.  It  was  slow  work,  pushing  our  way 
through  the  tangled  undergrowth.  For  the  first 
few  minutes  the  soldiers  gained  upon  us  with 
alarming  rapidity.  But  after  they  struck  the  un- 


200  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

derbrush  their  speed  was  checked  and  we  were 
gaining  once  more. 

We  continued  on  in  this  manner  for  several  hun- 
dred yards.  We  were  climbing  steadily.  The  nar- 
row ravine  had  become  a  rock  walled  caiion.  Still 
we  continued  on  with  all  possible  speed. 

At  last  we  came  around  an  abrupt  bend,  and  to 
our  horror  saw  that  the  ravine  ended  abruptly  a 
few  yards  ahead.  There  a  precipice  rose  seemingly 
perpendicular  in  front  of  us,  a  barrier  to  any  fur- 
ther progress.  Abrupt  cliffs  also  marked  the  sides 
of  the  ravine.  Our  escape  was  cut  off.  We  were 
in  a  veritable  cul  de  sac.  We  were  dismayed. 

"We  are  trapped !''  Raymond  exclaimed, 
up  there  and  stand  them  off,"  Riablo  cried  encour- 
agingly. 

In  a  moment  we  were  at  the  base  of  the  cliff. 
Rocks  and  boulders  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  were 
scattered  about  on  the  ground.  We  meant  to  hide 
behind  these  rocks,  but  just  then  we  caught  sight 
of  a  wide  arched  opening  at  the  base  of  the  cliff. 
It  was  half  concealed  by  boulders  and  masses  of 
rubbish. 

"Get  in  the  cave,"  Riablo  called  out.     "We  can 

"Maybe  we  can  hide  ourselves  behind  the  rocks 
stand  them  off  there."  Riablo  was  by  far  the  cool- 
est member  of  the  party. 

We  dashed  into  the  cave.  It  was  wide  at  the  en- 
trance, but  rather  low.  There  was  a  great  longitu- 
dinal crack  in  the  roof.  A  hundred  yards  further 
in  the  cave  suddenly  contracted,  and  the  passage 
was  only  a  few  feet  wide  and  not  high  enough  to 
allow  a  man  to  stand  erect. 

We  took  up  our  position  there,  crouching  behind 
a  ledge  of  rock.  There  we  waited  for  the  soldiers. 
They  had  seen  us  scramble  into  the  cave  and 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  201 

thought  they  had  us  cornered.  We  began  firing  upon 
them  as  soon  as  they  appeared  in  the  cave.  The  re- 
verberations of  the  cave  made  the  crack  of  the 
rifles  like  a  mighty  cannonading.  The  din  was 
deafening.  I  never  heard  such  an  ear-splitting 
noise  before.  The  red  spurts  of  flame  cut  the 
gloom  like  sword  points.  The  old  cave  roared  and 
spouted  fire  like  a  mighty  volcano. 

The  soldiers  halted  and  sought  shelter.  Then 
they  replied  to  our  fire.  The  thunderings  of  the  old 
cave  doubled  in  volume. 

For  a  few  minutes  the  fight  raged  hot  and  furi- 
ous. The  powder  smoke  hung  in  great  volumes 
about  us.  The  red  flashes  of  fire  were  all  that  could 
be  seen.  We  were  shooting  more  or  less  at  random. 
It  was  a  veritable  Inferno.  The  second  one  of  the 
young  fellows  was  struck  in  the  head  by  a  bullet. 
Raymond,  Riablo  and  myself  alone  remained. 

Still  we  kept  up  the  fight  with  grim  persistence. 
The  fire  of  the  government  troops  was  constantly 
augmented  by  new  arrivals.  Bullets  whizzed  about 
us,  cut  through  our  garments,  kicked  dust  in  our 
eyes  and  flattened  themselves  out  against  the  rocks. 

Suddenly  above  the  fearful  din  of  the  rifles-  came 
a  loud  roar,  an  indescribable  rumbling  and  crash- 
ing. The  concussion  from  the  continued  firing 
had  done  its  work.  The  roof  was  falling !  The  sol- 
diers saw  their  danger  and  started  to  run.  Before 
they  could  get  out  of  the  cave  with  a  terrible  crash 
the  whole  section  between  the  narrow  place  where 
we  were  and  the  opening  came  down  upon  them.  In 
an  instant  they  were  crushed  beneath  the  weight 
of  thousands  of  tons  of  rock. 

When  the  echoes  of  the  mighty  crash  ceased  re- 


202  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

verberating  through  the  cave  all  was  silence.  We 
were  not  hurt,  but  we  were  cut  off  completely  from 
the  outside  world.  We  were  literally  prisoners  in 
that  vast,  black,  silent  place. 

"Great  God!"  exclaimed  Raymond.  "What  can 
we  do?" 

The  mouth  of  the  cave  was  completely  blocked 
up.  We  were  prisoners,  and  far  worse  off  than  we 
had  ever  been  at  Santa  Rossa. 

"What  can  we  do?"  I  groaned. 

"It  might  be  worse,"  Riablo  returned.  "We 
might  have  been  like  those  poor  devils  under  that 
stuff." 

"It  would  be  a  God's  mercy  if  we  were !" 

"No  use  to  get  gloomy,"  Riablo  returned.  He 
deliberately  struck  a  match  and  lighted  a  cigar- 
ette. I  don't  believe  the  fellow  had  any  feeling  at 
all. 

"In  most  of  these  caves,"  he  observed,  philoso- 
phically, "there  are  two  mouths — sometimes  half  a 
dozen.  If  there's  not  any  other  mouth — why,  it's 
all  over  with  us." 

"Hope  to  God  there  is,"  Raymond  exclaimed. 

"The  only  thing  we  can  do  is  to  hunt  for  some 
other  entrance.  It  may  be  a  few  yards  off  and  it 
may  be  miles." 

It  was  our  only  chance,  and  what  a  slim  one ! 

Very  fortunately  I  had  an  almost  unbroken  box 
of  matches  in  my  pocket.  Raymond  and  Riablo 
each  also  had  a  few.  There  was  no  extra  wood  to 
be  procured  anywhere.  At  first  we  merely  struck 
the  matches,  and  when  one  had  burned  out  struck 
another.  We  soon  saw  that  at  this  rate  of  consump- 
tion our  supply  would  be  soon  gone.  We  hit  upon 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  203 

a  plan  to  decrease  this  consumption.  Both  Ray- 
mond and  myself  had  notebooks  and  letters  and 
other  papers.  We  tore  these  up  and  made  little 
tapers  out  of  them. 

I  took  the  lead,  holding  a  match  or  a  taper.  The 
others  followed  close  after  me.  The  flickering  light 
at  times  seemed  only  to  aggravate  the  darkness. 

There  were  but  few  branches  from  the  main  cave, 
and  so  we  had  but  little  difficulty  in  maintaining 
our  course.  We  rarely  spoke  and  when  we  did  the 
hollow,  unnatural  sound  of  our  voices  frightened 
us.  We  kept  trudging  wearily  along  until  I 
thought  that  the  cave  must  extend  clean  through 
the  Andes. 

We  husbanded  our  matches  and  paper  in  every 
possible  way,  keeping  only  the  least  bit  of  flame. 

At  length  we  sat  down  upon  a  ledge,  exhausted. 
Our  limbs  were  weak  and  trembling,  and  we  were 
suffering  from  thirst.  Riablo  was  bearing  up  best, 
but  he  was  getting  despondent. 

"Listen !"  said  Riablo,  after  a  period  of  gloomy 
silence.  "Don't  you  hear  something?" 

I  thought  I  could,  but  I  could  not  distinguish 
what  it  was. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,"  exclaimed  Riablo  eager- 
ly. "It's  dripping  water !" 

"If  it's  water,  then  for  God's  sake  let's  get  to 
it." 

We  had  considerable  difficulty  in  locating  the 
sound.  More  than  once  we  were  thrown  off  the 
track  altogether.  But  at  last  our  perseverance  was 
rewarded,  and  we  arrived  at  the  spot  where  a  little 
stream  of  water  was  trickling  through  the  roof 


204  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

above  us.    It  was  in  a  little  side  cave,  but  only  a 
short  distance  from  the  main  one. 

We  fell  down  and  drank  long  gulps  of  the  water. 
It  was  strongly  impermeated  with  the  impurities 
through  which  it  had  passed,  but  it  was  cool  and  to 
our  parched  tongues  it  was  like  nectar. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  S05 


CHAPTER    XX. 

FROM  THE  JAWS  OF  DEATH. 

However,  we  could  not  afford  to  waste  any  time, 
especially  as  our  stock  of  matches  was  running  low. 
We  had  started  back  to  the  main  cave,  when  I  no- 
ticed that  the  little  stream  which  trickled  down 
through  the  roof  flowed  along  the  cave  in  an  op- 
posite direction.  A  new  thought  struck  me. 

"Look  at  this  water,"  I  exclaimed,  grasping  Ria- 
blo's  arm  eagerly.  "Don't  you  see  how  it  flows 
along  here?  It  must  get  out  of  the  cave  some- 
how." 

"Yes,  unless  it  sinks  into  a  quicksand.  That's 
not  likely  though.  The  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to 
follow  it." 

We  had  no  difficulty  in  following  the  course  of 
the  tiny  rivulet.  Its  course  was  very  crooked, 
twisting  around  boulders.  It  was  often  dammed  up 
by  the  inequalities  of  the  floor  of  the  cave.  Often 
the  ponds  of  water  thus  formed  reached  to  our  hips. 
In  these  the  water  was  still  and  black,  and  there 
was  no  telling  whether  it  was  one  foot  deep  or  a 
thousand. 

Somehow  the  presence  of  the  little  tinkling 
stream,  now  glittering  brightly  in  the  light,  and 
now  black  in  the  shadow,  gave  us  a  sense  of  com- 
panionship. Hour  after  hour  we  pressed  forward 
with  as  much  speed  as  we  were  able,  but  it  seemed 
all  in  vain.  The  vast  cavern  still  stretched  out 


206  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

before  u«,  apparently  without  end.  We  were  be- 
ginning to  despair. 

Our  stock  of  paper  was  gone,  and  only  a  few 
matches  remained.  We  pushed  on  with  feverish 
energy.  We  never  spoke,  but  frightful  thoughts 
filled  our  minds.  When  these  few  matches  had 
burned  away,  we  would  be  left  in  that  awful  cave 
in  complete  darkness.  At  this  thought  a  mad 
frenzy  seemed  to  take  hold  of  us.  We  laughed  like 
mad  men,  and  ran  with  all  our  strength.  An  imag- 
inary outlet  kept  dancing  before  our  eyes,  tantaliz- 
ing us.  We  reached  for  it,  we  ran  toward  it,  and 
when,  as  if  in  mockery,  it  moved  away,  we  cried  out 
for  it  to  stop.  It  was  horrible ! 

Directly,  with  trembling  hand,  I  struck  the  last 
match.  When  it  had  burned  away,  we  would  be 
left  in  the  cave  in  absolute  darkness.  Our  eyes  were 
fixed  in  fascination  upon  the  last  match.  The  little 
flame  crept  slowly  down  the  stick.  We  watched  it 
as  the  bird  watches  the  approach  of  the  serpent, 
fascinated,  unable  to  prevent  the  catastrophe. 

When  it  was  gone,  our  light  would  be  gone  and 
we  ourselves — we  shuddered  at  the  thought  of 
struggling  about  in  the  vast  cave  in  utter  dark- 
ness, bruising  our  bodies  upon  the  rocks,  and  at 
last  lying  down  in  some  corner  to  die.  The  prospect 
of  death  in  any  form  is  terrible,  but  this  was  death 
in  its  most  terrible  form.  Our  bodies  would  slowly 
waste  away  from  starvation.  The  anticipation  was 
as  horrible  as  the  realization  could  be. 

"Great  God !"  I  exclaimed.    "It  must  not  be  so !" 

The  dark  recesses  of  the  gloomy  old  cavern  only 
gave  back  the  mocking  echo  of  my  cry. 

Slowly  the  flame  crept  downward.    The  sight  fas- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION  207 

cinated  us.  In  a  moment  the  flame  began  to  jump 
and  flicker.  Our  hearts  beat  harder  and  faster. 
It  was  the  beginning  of  the  end.  Then  with  a  last 
flicker  the  flame  died  away.  The  red  glow  for  an 
instant  cast  its  weird  glow  over  our  white,  terror- 
stricken  faces,  and  then  it  dropped  from  my  fingers. 
It  sizzed  for  an  instant  on  the  water  and  then  it- 
was  gone.  We  were  left  in  the  midst  of  the  weird, 
oppressive  darkness  of  the  mighty  cavern ! 

None  of  us  spoke.  We  merely  stood  there  as  if 
turned  to  stone,  powerless  to  speak  or  act. 

As  we  stood  there  in  the  oppressive  gloom  there 
was  no  sound  to  break  the  silence  of  the  mighty 
cave,  save  the  merry  rippling  of  the  little  under- 
ground stream  as  it  splashed  by  us.  Directly,  how- 
ever, I  became  conscious  of  another  sound,  more 
of  a  distant  rumbling,  like  muffled  thunder. 

"What  do  you  make  of  it?"  I  asked  of  Riablo. 

"I  don't  know.  I  have  it  now !  It's  the  roaring  of 
some  of  these  mountain  torrents !" 

"Then  let's  get  to  it!  This  stream  must  flow 
into  it.  We'll  follow  the  stream." 

We  caught  each  other's  hands  so  that  we  would 
not  be  scattered  in  the  darkness.  Then  we  started 
forward  through  the  impenetrable  gloom.  Not  a 
ray  of  light  entered  the  cavern.  I  could  not  even 
distinguish  the  forms  of  Riablo  and  Raymond.  We 
had  to  go  by  feeling  and  hearing  alone.  The  rivu- 
let was  our  only  guide.  Hand  in  hand  we  plashed 
along  through  it,  knowing  that  each  step  might 
precipitate  us  into  a  bottomless  abyss. 

The  sound  we  had  heard  constantly  increased  and 
resolved  itself  plainly  into  the  roar  of  rushing 
water.  To  our  mind,  if  we  could  get  to  this  stream 


208  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

we  would  be  saved  beyond  doubt.  We  pressed  for- 
ward with  all  possible  speed.  The  roaring  in- 
creased and  in  a  few  minutes  it  seemed  to  be  at  our 
very  feet.  A  dash  of  fine  spray  struck  our  faces. 
We  halted  at  this.  It  was  well  enough  that  we  did 
so,  for  when  I  put  my  foot  forward  there  was  noth- 
ing but  space  beneath  us. 

For  all  we  knew  a  step  in  any  direction  would 
plunge  us  into  a  mighty  abyss.  We  threw  ourselves 
at  full  length  upon  the  rock  by  the  side  of  the  little 
stream  we  had  been  following  and  rested.  We 
could  hear  the  water  rushing  along  just  below  us 
and  feel  the  fine  spray  on  our  faces. 

Strange  to  say,  the  darkness  here  did  not  seem 
so  intense  as  it  had  further  back  in  the  cave.  I 
crawled  to  the  edge  of  the  rock  and  cast  a  glance 
upward.  Two  great  black  walls  towered  up,  but  far 
above  us  I  caught  sight  of  the  blue  heaven  and  the 
stars.  We  had  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  cave,  and 
it  was  in  one  of  those  wild  gorges  or  canons  of  the 
Andes.  It  was  night  now,  but  when  day  broke  we 
could  see  more  of  our  surroundings. 

Riablo  and  Raymond  crawled  out  beside  me  and 
we  feasted  on  the  sight.  Even  as  we  watched,  the 
tint  of  the  sky  began  to  whiten,  and  the  stars  grew 
less  distinct.  The  dark  gorge  grew  lighter  and  we 
could  distinguish  the  rushing,  swishing  water  be- 
low us.  One  by  one  the  stars  sank  from  sight,  and 
day  was  begun. 

Some  fifteen  feet  below  us  we  could  see  the  wild, 
rushing,  muddy  water.  On  either  side  a  little 
stretch  of  white  sand  intervened  between  the  water 
and  the  rock  walls,  which  towered  to  a  dizzy  height 
above  us.  A  little  way  down  the  stream  the  gorge 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  209 

made  a  sudden  turn.  In  a  sort  of  a  great  recess  in 
the  wall  there  was  a  great  mass  of  driftwood. 

We  scrambled  down  to  the  sandy  beach  without 
accident  The  stream  had  a  mighty  current,  but  it 
was  not  wide.  We  could  see  that  it  was  rising, 
however. 

"The  snow-  is  melting  up  in  the  mountains,"  Ria- 
blo  explained.  "We'll  have  to  work  in  a  hurry  or 
we'll  be  cut  off  yet." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"We'll  build  a  raft  of  that  driftwood  yonder. 
Then  we'll  float  down  the  river  on  it.  We  may  get 
drowned,  but  God  knows  it's  our  only  chance.  But 
we  must  hurry.  It'll  never  do  to  let  the  wrater  catch 
us  without  the  raft  completed." 

I  can't  tell  how  Riablo  managed  to  construct  the 
raft  in  the  time  that  was  occupied.  I  am  sure  that 
without  his  aid,  it  would  have  taken  us  years  to 
make  one  so  solid  and  secure.  Riablo  always  knew 
the  exact  thing  to  do.  He  set  Raymond  and  me  to 
work  getting  logs  of  the  right  size  of  the  mass  of 
driftwood.  He  was  searching  for  a  sort  of  wood 
that  he  could  twist  or  bend  in  any  way  he  desired. 

It  was  necessary  to  work  with  all  speed.  The 
river  was  rising  rapidly.  Before  long  the  little  spit 
of  sand  where  we  were  building  the  raft  would  be 
flooded  with  water.  Down  there  in  that  gloom- 
haunted  canon  we  worked  like  galley  slaves.  Ray- 
mond and  I  dragged  up  the  logs  and  placed  them  in 
the  form  that  Riablo  desired.  Riablo  then  securely 
fastened  them  together  with  his  pliable  wood.  All 
this  took  time,  but  we  wanted  the  raft  to  be  secure. 
At  last  it  was  finished,  but  none  too  soon ;  the  rising 
water  was  already  washing  round  its  base, 


210  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

After  having  made  it  as  secure  as  possible,  we 
pushed  the  raft  off  into  the  current  and  our  voyage 
was  begun.  We  all  had  long  poles  to  be  used  in 
warding  the  raft  off  from  points  of  danger.  We 
knew  not  what  danger  the  next  bend  of  the  river 
might  bring  us.  We  were  in  the  hands  of  Provi- 
dence. 

At  first  the  raft  only  spun  round  and  round,  but 
then  the  current  caught  it  and  we  darted  away  in 
the  gloomy  shado.ws.  The  current  was  swift,  too 
swift  at  least  for  my  nerves.  The  rocky  walls  be- 
tween which  the  wild  stream  rushed  now  rose  sheer 
out  of  the  water.  We  could  not  have  landed  had 
we  so  desired.  We  must  take  whatever  the  river 
brought  us.  We  kept  a  sharp  lookout,  but  the  cur- 
rent generally  carried  us  where  we  wanted  to  go, 
and  we  did  not  have  much  occasion  to  use  the 
poles. 

The  water  was  swift  and  rough.  An  occasional 
dash  of  spray  flew  over  the  raft,  wetting  us  to  the 
skin.  I  confess  that  I  felt  a  sensation  of  uncon- 
trollable fear  as  we  drifted  along  at  the  speed  of  an 
express  train,  not  knowing  when  a  Niagara  might 
yawn  before  us. 

Directly  the  channel  grew  narrower,  and  the 
water  rushed  along  with  even  more  velocity  than 
ever.  At  the  same  time  rocks  appeared  about  us. 
We  had  plenty  of  work  keeping  the  raft  free  of 
them.  With  all  we  could  do  the  logs  kept  scraping 
and  grinding  against  submerged  rocks.  More  than 
once  I  was  sure  the  raft  would  go  to  pieces  the  next 
minute. 

This  sort  of  thing  could  not  last  forever.  We  all 
knewr  that  it  was  only  a  matter  of  time  till  the 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  211 

crash  would  come.  Directly  we  heard  the  mighty 
roar  of  water  as  it  plunged  over  a  precipice  or 
boiled  through  a  rapid.  Walls  of  rock  rose  sheer 
on  either  side.  All  that  we  could  do  was  to  cling 
to  the  raft  and  take  the  chances.  If  it  got  through 
in  safety,  we  would  be  safe;  if  it  did  not — I  turned 
from  the  thought. 

In  a  moment  we  were  upon  the  rapids.  The  raft 
quivered  for  an  instant  upon  the  brink  and  then 
darted  forward.  A  great  wave  broke  over  the  raft, 
thoroughly  drenching  us.  Whirling  round  till  we 
were  dizzy,  grinding  over  submerged  rocks,  crash- 
ing against  projecting  ones,  the  raft  continued  its 
wild  flight.  We  could  not  control  it ;  we  only  clung 
to  it  with  all  our  strength  and  let  it  take  its  course. 

In  a  minute  the  end  came.  I  was  beginning  to 
think  the  raft  would  pull  through  in  safety,  when 
all  of  a  sudden  there  was  a  terrific  shock,  as  we 
struck  squarely  upon  a  projecting  rock.  No  hu- 
man contrivance  could  have  withstood  that  fearful 
shock.  The  raft  quickly  went  to  pieces,  leaving  us 
struggling  in  the  water. 

The  water  was  icy  cold.  I  managed  to  catch  hold 
of  a  log.  Riablo  was  clinging  to  the  same  log.  We 
were  almost  through  the  rapids  when  the  crash 
came.  The  current  was  less  fierce  about  us  now. 
It  was  the  cold  water  that  affected  us  most.  We 
could  see  nothing  of  Raymond  and  presumed  that 
he  had  been  drowned. 

The  fearful  cold  was  numbing  my  whole  body. 
I  felt  my  senses  leaving  me.  My  hands  slowly 
slipped  from  their  hold  on  the  log.  I  did  not  care. 
Dimly  I  remember  seeing  Riablo  reach  across  the 
log  and  grasp  my  hands  in  his,  begging  me  to  hold 


212  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

out  a  little  longer.  A  film  seemed  to  come  over  my 
eyes,  there  was  a  great  ringing  in  my  ears,  and  1 
knew  no  more. 

When  I  recovered  consciousness  I  was  lying  upon 
the  bank  of  the  river.  Two  men  were  bending  over 
me,  endeavoring  to  restore  me  to  consciousness. 
One  of  the  men  was  Riablo.  The  other  was  a  great 
hulk  of  a  fellow  with  flabby  cheeks  and  eyes  set  in 
between  layers  of  fat.  I  have  seldom  seen  a  man 
of  more  repulsive  appearance. 

Before  long  I  was  able  to  stand  alone,  although 
I  was  weak  and  faint.  Then  I  was  bundled  off  by 
Riablo  and  the  strange  man,  who,  it  appeared,  was 
an  old  friend  of  Riablo's.  I  supposed  that  the 
fellow  had  been  connected  with  Riablo  in  some  of 
that  smiling  villain's  devilish  work. 

We  soon  arrived  at  the  home  of  Senor  Ayamayo 
—that  was  the  fellow's  name.  It  was  only  a  little 
one-roomed  hut  with  a  thatched  roof.  We  sat  down 
and  waited  while  a  withered  old  hag  prepared  a 
meal  for  us.  The  fumes  from  the  cooking  tantalized 
me.  I  could  hardly  wait  till  the  meal  was  pre- 
pared. 

But  at  last  the  repast  was  set  before  us.  I  took 
no  notice  of  the  quality  of  the  food  or  the  cooking 
or  of  the  old  hag's  dirt-encrusted  hands.  I  was  fam- 
ishing. I  ate  with  both  hands,  but  even  then  my 
ravenous  appetite  was  not  satisfied. 

Riablo  was  little  better.  Between  us  everything 
that  had  been  placed  upon  the  table  almost  in- 
stantly disappeared.  Ayamayo  himself  hardly  got 
a  bite.  The  old  hag  looked  on  with  her  hands  raised 
in  holy  horror. 

Ayamayo  knew  nothing  of  the  whereabouts  of 


A  MAN  Of  AMBITION.  213 

the  rebels,  although  he  was  in  sympathy  with  them. 
Your  South  American  bandit  is  in  sympathy  with 
every  rebellion.  He  thrives  on  them.  It  was  only 
two  days'  journey  to  Arequipa,  though.  We  decided 
to  go  there.  Doubtless  we  could  learn  of  Para- 
monte's  whereabouts  there,  and  we  might  be  able  to 
gather  some  valuable  information  for  him. 

The  first  thing  we  did  was  to  discard  our  uni- 
forms. We  did  not  want  those  we  met  to  know  that 
we  were  rebels.  Ayamayo  secured  for  us  suits  of 
citizen's  clothing  of  a  respectable  sort. 

We  remained  with  Ayamayo  through  the  night. 
By  morning  we  were  fresh  and  vigorous.  Sleep 
acted  as  a  tonic.  As  soon  as  we  had  breakfasted 
Riablo  proposed  that  we  start  for  Arequipa  that 
morning.  Of  course  I  consented. 

We  set  off  for  Arequipa  without  any  delay.  Ria- 
blo knew  the  route,  and  we  hurried  along  over  the 
rough  mountain  trails  with  all  speed.  We  met  with 
no  adventures  on  the  way.  We  remained  over  night 
at  a  small  wayside  inn.  We  resumed  our  journey 
early  the  next  day,  and  about  four  o'clock  we  ar- 
rived in  the  city  of  Arequipa. 

We  noticed  that  a  large  military  camp  had  been 
formed  just  outside  the  city  limits.  Judging  from 
appearance,  I  thought  there  were  at  least  two  regi- 
ments there. 

We  hung  around  the  city,  in  low  dens  of  vice 
principally,  till  after  nightfall,  and  then  we  left 
it.  So  far  we  had  been  unable  to  learn  any  thing 
definite  about  the  whereabouts  of  Paramonte's 
rebels.  I  was  puzzled  to  know  why  Riablo  wanted 
to  leave  the  city,  but  the  explanation  was  soon 
brought  me.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were  well  out 


214  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

of  the  main  city,  and  only  a  few  suburban  resi- 
dences were  in  sight.  Riablo  pointed  one  of  them 
out  to  me. 

"We're  running  short  of  money,"  he  said,  eye- 
ing me  with  a  shrewd,  meaning  smile,  "and  that's 
a  thing  we  can't  get  along  without  very  well.  So 
I  think  we'd  better  do  a  little  business  to-night. 
That  place  yonder  looks  worth  while.  We'll  try  it 
anyhow.  I  don't  guess  you  object.  I'll  start  you 
on  your  career  as  a  burglar  to-night." 

At  first  I  was  inclined  to  refuse  flatly  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  the  proposed  robbery.  But 
then  I  reflected  that  we  were  really  badly  in  need 
of  money.  Riablo  was  an  expert  in  the  art,  and 
capture — about  the  only  thing  I  really  feared — was 
a  remote  possibility.  Then  I  could  not  afford  to 
offend  Riablo  by  appearing  over  fastidious.  I  agreed 
to  help  him. 

There  was  a  little  wayside  wine  shop  not  far 
from  the  house,  and  we  entered  it  and  lounged 
about,  all  the  time  keeping  a  stealthy  watch  upon 
the  house  Riablo  had  designated.  A  light  was  still 
shining  in  one  room.  It  would  not  do  to  attempt 
anything  till  everybody  was  asleep.  We  waited  for 
two  hours,  and  the  light  still  shone.  I  was  begin- 
ning to  feel  impatient, 

"It's  gone  out,"  Riablo  announced  at  last.  I 
looked  up.  The  whole  house  was  in  darkness. 

We  waited  for  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  longer  to 
allow  everybody  to  settle  down  to  sleep.  Then  we 
crept  up  to  the  house,  taking  care  not  to  be  seen. 
My  heart  was  in  my  throat  all  the  time.  Burglariz- 
ing was  a  new  art  to  me.  Still  it  had  a  sense  of 
danger  about  it  that  was  exhilarating. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  215 

The  doors  were  all  locked  and  we  turned  to  the 
windows.  Kiablo  worked  with  cat-like  stealth,  and 
often  cast  angry  glances  at  me  when  I  overturned  a 
flower  pot,  or  did  something  equally  awkward, 
making  a  great  clatter  upon  the  still  night  air. 
However,  we  were  undiscovered. 

Riablo  unlocked  the  shutters,  threw  up  a  window 
sash,  and  clambered  into  the  house.  I  followed 
close  after  him.  Riablo  had  a  little  pocket  lantern 
and  he  flashed  it  about  the  room.  It  was  richly 
furnished.  The  home  was  evidently  one  of  wealth, 
and  distinctly  worth  while. 

There  was  little  here  that  we  would  want  to 
carry  away,  though,  and  after  a  short  search  we 
passed  into  the  next  room.  It  was  a  dining  room, 
and  it  was  also  richly  furnished.  Riablo  took  in 
everything  at  a  glance. 

"This  must  be  where  they  keep  their  silver,"  he 
murmured  as  he  placed  his  hand  upon  a  latch. 

The  door  of  the  closet  was  locked,  but  he  quickly 
forced  the  lock  and  flung  the  door  open.  He  had 
been  correct  in  his  surmise.  The  silver  was  there. 
We  had  fetched  a  large  sack  with  us,  and  Riablo 
swiftly  transferred  the  silver  to  this.  He  did  this 
without  the  least  noise,  though,  for  my  part,  I 
don't  see  how  he  managed  it. 


216  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A  NIGHT  OF  TERROR. 

After  Riablo  had  transferred  all  the  silver  to  his 
sack,  we  ransacked  all  the  other  rooms  on  the 
first  floor  of  the  house.  We  did  not  find  much  that 
was  worth  taking  away. 

Riablo  was  determined  to  do  his  work  in  a 
thorough  manner.  He  went  upstairs,  carrying  his 
sack  of  silverware  with  him.  I  followed  him.  We 
entered  the  first  room  that  came  to  hand.  It  was 
unoccupied,  but  as  we  entered  I  stumbled  over  a 
chair,  which  went  crashing  to  the  floor  with  a  great 
clatter.  Riablo  swore  furiously  under  his  breath. 
We  listened  intently,  but  we  could  hear  nothing  to 
alarm  us.  Our  confidence  returned. 

The  room  contained  nothing  of  value,  and  with 
Riablo  still  swearing  at  me  we  entered  another. 
A  lamp  upon  a  table  was  burning  dimly.  I  lurched 
in  first ;  Riablo  followed  me  closely.  Riablo  uttered 
a  cry  of  surprise,  and  darted  away  down  the  stair- 
way, carrying  the  sack  with  him.  I  was  too  much 
surprised  to  move. 

"Throw  up  your  hands  or  I  shoot !"  a  voice  cried 
out.  I  beheld  an  elderly  man  sitting  upright  in  his 
bed.  He  was  in  his  night  clothes,  but  he  had  a  re- 
volver pointed  at  my  head.  He  repeated  his  com- 
mand and  I  lost  no  time  in  obeying. 

"That's  right,"  he  commented,  with  an  ugly  glit- 
ter in  his  eye. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  217 

Riablo  had  escaped,  but  I  was  a  prisoner.  Riablo 
had  made  considerable  clatter  as  he  dashed  down 
the  stairway  and  smashed  through  a  window.  I 
could  hear  servants  rushing  about  below.  Directly 
a,  girl  with  dishevelled  hair  burst  into  the  room. 
When  she  caught  sight  of  me,  although  I  was  cov- 
ered by  the  man's  revolver,  she  uttered  a  shriek 
and  fled. 

"They've  taken  the  silver !  They've  taken  the  sil- 
ver !"  another  servant  wailed. 

The  old  man's  eyes  flashed  angrily. 

"Tell  Juan  to  run  over  and  bring  some  soldiers 
here  to  take  this  man  to  jail.  He  is  one  of  the  burg- 
lars." 

The  servant  looked  at  me  curiously  and  then 
hurried  away. 

I  was  desperate.  It  is  not  a  very  comfortable 
sensation  at  any  time  to  look  down  the  barrel  of  a 
revolver.  If  I  was  taken  to  jail  I  would  certainly 
be  recognized  as  a  revolutionist,  and  that  would 
mean  death. 

I  must  get  out  of  that  scrape  somehow.  I  cursed 
myself  for  not  having  taken  the  chances  and  fol- 
lowed Riablo.  A  dozen  wild  schemes  for  escaping 
Hashed  through  my  brain ;  but  none  of  them  seemed 
feasible.  The  man  had  his  revolver  pointed  at  my 
head  and  he  would  not  hesitate  a  moment  before 
blowing  out  my  brains  should  I  try  to  escape. 

If  I  did  anything  it  must  be  soon.  Already  I 
could  hear  shouting  not  far  off.  I  supposed  it  was 
the  soldiers  that  Juan  had  been  sent  after.  I  had 
two  revolvers  in  my  pockets,  but  with  my  hands 
above  my  head  as  they  were,  they  might  as  well 
have  been  in  Mollendo.  If  I  lowered  my  hands,  I 


218  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

would  be  shot.  The  soldiers  were  soon  tramping 
about  downstairs.  I  could  see  no  avenue  of  es- 
cape. 

Just  as  I  was  about  to  give  up  in  despair  the  man 
made  a  move  to  get  out  of  bed.  lie  considered  me 
sufficiently  cowed,  and  allowed  his  aim  to  waver  a 
little.  I  saw  this  and  took  advantage  of  it.  With- 
out a  moment's  warning  I  sprang  toward  the  door. 
Crack !  went  the  revolver.  A  bullet  whistled  past 
me,  but  it  did  no  harm.  I  flung  the  door  open  and 
before  the  man  could  fire  again  I  was  out  of  the 
room. 

In  the  hall  I  ran  point-blank  against  a  servant. 
He  recognized  me  as  the  burglar  and  threw  his 
arms  about  me  to  hold  me.  The  soldiers  were  rush- 
ing up  the  stairway.  I  could  not  get  away  in  that 
direction.  I  turned  toward  the  front  of  the  hall, 
where  there  was  a  window.  The  servant  was  still 
clinging  to  me,  trying  to  retard  my  movements. 
I  grasped  him  by  the  throat,  jerked  him  loose  and 
hurled  him  half  way  across  the  hall. 

I  sprang  to  the  window.  The  soldiers  were  at 
the  top  of  the  stairway.  Fearing  that  I  was  about 
to  escape,  they  prepared  to  fire  at  me.  The  window 
was  fastened  down.  I  kicked  out  the  frame  and 
sprang  through.  I  was  just  in  time,  for  half  a 
dozen  bullets  were  sent  after  me. 

The  house  was  built  after  the  prevailing  fashion, 
with  a  sort  of  a  continuous  gallery  running  along 
the  outside  of  the  upper  story,  under  the  overhang- 
ing eaves.  I  landed  on  this  gallery.  My  first  im- 
pulse was  to  spring  directly  to  the  ground,  but  there 
were  half  a  dozen  soldiers  there  to  receive  me. 

I  turned  and  ran  along  the  gallery.     Those  on 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  219 

the  ground  had  not  seen  me  and  did  not  see  me  as 
I  ran  along.  The  soldiers  were  running  about  and 
yelling,  as  if  the  rebels  had  visited  the  place  once 
more.  Things  looked  dark  for  me. 

At  the  rear  of  the  house  I  could  see  no  one.  I 
crept  to  the  edge  of  the  gallery  and  swung  myself 
over ;  then  I  dropped  to  the  ground.  The  drop  was 
not  great  and  I  was  hardly  jarred.  A  moment  af- 
terward a  soldier  appeared  around  the  nearest  eor- 
ner. 

"Here  he  is !"  he  yelled  as  he  caught  sight  of  me. 

I  jerked  a  revolver  from  my  pocket  and  fired 
at  him.  He  uttered  a  yell,  clapped  his  hand  to  his 
shoulder,  and  started  away  as  fast  as  he  could  run, 
yelling  out  that  he  was  killed. 

Others  had  heard  his  shout  and  were  coming  to- 
ward me.  I  made  for  the  low  fence  at  the  back  of 
the  yard.  Just  as  I  vaulted  over  it  soldiers  swarmed 
about  the  rear  of  the  house.  They  fired  at  me,  but 
they  were  excited  and  their  bullets  all  flew  wild. 

I  started  away  as  fast  as  I  could  run.  The  sol- 
diers saw  me  and  half  a  dozen  of  them  started  in 
pursuit.  I  had  only  gone  a  few  hundred  yards, 
when  I  made  the  discovery  that  I  was  going 
straight  toward  a  portion  of  the  camp. 

Just  as  I  made  this  discovery  I  came  upon  a 
hedge  running  at  right  angles  with  my  course.  I 
changed  my  course  and  started  along  it,  straight 
toward  the  city  of  Arequipa.  I  was  in  the  shadow 
of  the  hedge,  and  my  pursuers  lost  sight  of  me.  T 
could  hear  them  cursing.  They  thought  that  I 
had  gone  in  the  direction  directly  opposite  to  the 
one  I  had  really  taken ;  or  at  least  they  hurried  off 
in  that  direction. 


220  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

As  soon  as  I  made  sure  that  they  were  off  my 
track  I  decreased  my  speed  and  regained  my 
breath.  I  was  not  out  of  danger  by  a  great  deal. 
I  might  have  remained  where  I  was  undiscovered 
till  morning,  but  then  I  was  sure  to  be  captured. 
I  must  go  somewhere.  After  some  consideration, 
I  decided  that  my  chances  would  be  best  in  the 
city,  provided  I  could  get  to  it  without  being  dis- 
covered. I  continued  in  that  direction. 

Before  I  could  get  to  the  city  I  would  have  to 
cross  the  road  by  which  the  soldiers  had  come  from 
the  camp.  I  was  somewhat  fearful  of  discovery  at 
this  point;  but  I  could  see  nothing  of  any  soldiers. 
To  my  mind,  I  was  getting  along  famously,  when 
suddenly  a  squad  of  soldiers  appeared  directly  in 
front  of  me.  The  darkness  had  hidden  them  from 
me  till  now,  and  it  was  now  too  late  to  escape  them. 
They  caught  sight  of  me  and  commanded  me  to 
halt. 

I  could  not  get  away  from  them  without  a  fight. 
A  bold  idea  came  into  my  head.  I  drew  both  my 
revolvers  and  cocked  them.  The  night  was  dark, 
the  soldiers  had  just  been  aroused  from  their 
slumbers,  and  their  minds  would  be  clouded.  And 
then  darkness  is  the  parent  of  fear. 

"Here  they  are,  boys !"  I  cried  at  the  top  of  my 
lungs.  "Come  on !  We'll  give  'em  hell !  Hooray !" 

Brandishing  my  revolvers,  I  rushed  boldly  upon 
them.  There  were  not  so  many  of  them  as  I  had 
first  supposed,  not  more  than  a  dozen.  My  yells 
threw  them  into  a  sort  of  a  panic.  They  saw  me 
dashing  boldly  upon  them,  and  quite  naturally 
thought  I  had  a  number  of  rebels  at  my  back.  They 
quickly  scattered. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  221 

I  fired  my  revolvers,  but  did  not  do  much  dam- 
age. They  fired  at  me,  too,  but  I  was  untouched. 
Firing  right  and  left,  I  darted  right  through  them. 
They  were  preparing  to  receive  the  men  who  were 
following  me.  Before  they  realized  that  they  had 
been  duped,  I  was  almost  out  of  range,  making 
straight  toward  Arequipa.  They  immediately 
started  after  me,  though.  I  was  unfamiliar  with 
the  ground  and  they  gained  steadily. 

Before  long  they  were  close  behind  me,  firing 
after  me  at  intervals.  Then  I  struck  a  road.  For 
a  road  in  Peru  it  was  good,  and  upon  it  I  made 
much  better  speed.  Soon  I  was  distancing  them 
once  more.  I  had  emptied  my  revolvers  in  the  first 
fight,  but  now  I  reloaded  them  as  I  ran,  and  soon  T 
was  ready  for  another  fight.  So  far  I  had  not  re- 
ceived so  much  as  a  scratch. 

I  was  drawing  near  the  city  itself  now.  The 
lights  cast  a  dim,  fitful  glow  over  the  streets.  As 
soon  as  I  came  within  the  circle  of  light  my  pur- 
suers began  firing  upon  me,  but  none  of  their  bullets 
touched  me.  The  street  was  altogether  deserted. 
There  was  no  crowd  for  me  to  mingle  with,  nor  wras 
there  anyone  to  oppose  my  flight.  Occasionally  a 
night-capped  head  was  thrust  out  at  a  window,  but 
that  was  the  only  sign  of  life. 

The  soldiers  soon  were  rousing  the  whole  town 
with  their  yells.  Already  a  few  daring  souls  were 
sallying  forth  and  joining  them  in  the  chase. 

Directly  another  squad  of  soldiers  appeared  in 
front  of  me.  I  AVQS  caught  between  two  fires.  A 
dark  narrow  alley,  without  light  of  any  sort,  opened 
out  near  me.  Without  hesitation,  I  darted  into  it. 


222  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

I  hoped  that  the  soldiers  would  give  up  the  chase, 
but  they  showed  no  such  intentions. 

The  alley  must  have  been  considered  merely  as 
a  convenient  dumping  place  for  all  sorts  of  trash. 
It  was  so  blocked  that  I  could  hardly  pass.  Once 
I  stumbled  and  fell,  but  I  quickly  picked  myself  up 
and  rushed  on. 

In  a  minute  I  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  alley  and 
darted  out  on  another  dimly  lighted  street.  This 
street  was  quiet  as  yet.  I  hurried  swiftly,  blindly 
along  it.  I  could  still  hear  the  cries  of  the  soldiers, 
but  they  were  growing  fainter  all  the  time. 

There  were  many  abrupt  windings  in  the  street, 
and,  rushing  around  one  of  these,  I  came  face  to 
face  with  still  another  squad  of  soldiers.  Instantly 
I  turned  and  fled  in  the  opposite  direction.  They 
came  rushing  furiously  after  me. 

I  had  gone  only  a  few  hundred  yards  when  an- 
other squad — the  one  that  had  first  pursued  me — 
turned  out  from  a  side  street  just  ahead  of  me. 
There  was  another  side  street  near  me,  and  I  turned 
into  it,  momentarily  expecting  a  bullet  to  put  an 
end  to  the  chase. 

I  dashed  along  this  street,  but  the  soldiers  pur- 
sued me  hotly.  Bullets  whistled  by  me  and  in- 
creased my  speed.  By  this  time  I  was  greatly  fa- 
tigued. I  thought  I  would  suffocate.  I  could  hard- 
ly breathe.  My  lungs  were  like  heated  ovens.  My 
heart  was  beating  madly  and  the  blood  was  singing 
in  my  ears.  Sweat  was  pouring  from  my  face  in 
streams.  I  must  soon  succumb  to  exhaustion,  if  I 
did  not  get  away  from  my  pursuers. 

I  took  a  new  direction  at  every  corner,  and  fre- 
quently doubled  on  my  tracks,  but  it  seemed  to  be 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  223 

all  of  no  avail.  It  was  impossible  to  shake  off  my 
pursuers  for  more  than  a  minute  or  two. 

At  last  I  managed  to  get  my  pursuers  off  the 
track  for  a  minute.  I  was  upon  one  of  the  princi- 
pal streets.  There  was  nobody  in  sight.  I  glanced 
about  me  for  a  place  to  hide.  I  started  as  I  re- 
cognized one  of  the  houses  as  the  one  where  I  had 
seen  Seiiora  Aguilar  on  the  night  of  the  sack  of  Are- 
quipa.  As  I  watched  the  house  the  front  door  was 
opened  and  a  tall  man  of  military  bearing  came  out. 
I  supposed  it  was  Colonel  Aguilar.  I  crept  into  the 
shadow,  and  he  did  not  see  me  as  he  hurried  away 
in  the  direction  of  the  shouting. 

A  bold  thought  suddenly  struck  me.  Seiiora 
Aguilar  was  doubtless  still  in  the  house.  I  would 
enter  it  and  ask  her  to  protect  me.  I  knew  she 
would  not  refuse.  If  she  was  not  there,  I  might 
be  able  to  conceal  myself  somewhere.  They  would 
never  think  of  searching  Colonel  Aguilar's  resi- 
dence for  me. 

With  a  hasty  glance  around  me  to  see  that  I 
was  not  observed  I  hurried  up  to  the  door  and 
turned  the  knob.  To  my  joy  the  door  swrung  open. 
I  hurried  into  the  house  and  closed  the  door,  just 
as  several  soldiers  darted  around  the  nearest  corner. 
They  had  not  seen  me  enter  the  house,  and  hurried 
into  the  next  street,  hoping  to  find  me  there. 

There  was  a  light  in  the  hall  from  a  hanging 
lamp.  I  glanced  into  the  rooms  downstairs  one 
after  another.  They  were  all  unoccupied,  and  af- 
forded no  place  for  hiding. 

I  passed  upstairs  to  continue  my  search  there. 
I  turned  the  knob  of  the  first  door  I  came  to  and 
pushed  it  open.  The  room  was  brilliantly  lighted. 


224:  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

A  beautiful  woman  was  sitting  there  in  a  rocking 
chair,  with  her  tiny  slippered  feet  crossed  in  front 
of  her,  gazing  into  vacancy.  It  was  Senora  Aguilar. 

"What  is  the  cause  of  all  this  hubbub?"  she 
asked,  evidently  taking  me  for  her  husband. 

As  she  saw  me  standing  there,  with  my  face  livid 
and  powder-stained,  my  eyes  hollow,  and  my  hair 
glued  to  my  face,  she  uttered  a  scream  of  fright, 
and  no  wonder. 

"Be  calm,  senora,"  I  said  as  suavely  as  I  was  able. 
"I  assure  you  that  I  mean  you  no  harm." 

Senora  Aguilar  had  risen  to  her  feet.  She  started 
at  the  sound  of  my  voice  and  peered  closely  at  me. 

"Who  are  you — why,  you  are  Sefior  Garnack!" 
she  exclaimed,  this  last,  I  thought,  with  a  little 
thrill  of  pleasure. 

A  loose  wrapper  had  been  thrown  over  her  night- 
gown. Her  neck  and  face  rose  from  the  soft  folds 
of  the  gown  and  I  thought  that  not  even  Carmen- 
cita's  queenly  beauty  wasi  equal  to  hers.  She 
glanced  tenderly  at  me  out  of  her  expressive  eyes, 
and  stepped  forward  as  if  to  throw  herself  in  my 
arms.  I  was  quite  willing,  and  held  out  my  arms. 
She  recovered  herself,  though,  and  only  placed  her 
hands  in  mine. 

"How  do  you  come  to  be  here?"  she  asked,  "and 
in  this  condition?" 

I  told  her. 

"I  knew  that  you  would  come  back  to  me,"  she 
said  with  a  tender  glance.  "We  were  made  for  each 
other." 

She  was  a  dear  little  woman,  and  she  loved  me, 
I  knew  that.  Moreover,  I  was  in  her  power.  I  told 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  225 

her  that  she  was  the  dearest  little  woman  in  all  the 
world. 

"And  is  all  this  noise  about  your  being  taken  for 
a  burglar?"  she  asked  presently. 

I  nodded. 

"My  husband,"  with  a  flush  of  shame,  "could 
not  tell  me  what  it  was  about.  He  just  went  out  to 
see  what  was  the  matter,  and  you — I  almost  wish 
you  hadn't  come.  What  do  you  want  me  to  do?" 

"Hide  me  till  morning.  Very  few  people  here  in 
Arequipa  know  me.  I  can  get  away  in  the  morning. 
But  you  must  hide  me  till  then." 

"And  why  should  I  do  this?"  she  asked,  glancing 
at  me  with  a  smile. 

"Is  there  not  reason  enough?"  I  asked,  glancing 
into  her  eyes  with  a  look  of  lore. 

"Of  course  I  will  hide  you,"  she  said.  She  glanced 
up  at  me  with  a  happy  light  in  her  eyes.  I  thought 
she  would  throw  herself  into  my  arms.  Just  then  a 
door  was  slammed  somewhere  downstairs.  Manu- 
ela  suddenly  turned  pale  as  death. 

"What  is  it?"  I  asked.  She  had  grasped  my  arm 
and  was  trembling  from  fear. 

"My  husband !"  she  gasped  out. 

"We  must  hurry." 

"Yes,  yes !  Oh,  he  will  kill  me !"  she  cried,  cling- 
ing to  me.  "You  will  not  let  him  hurt  me?" 

"I  am  armed,  and  if  he  discovers  my  presence 
here,  he  will  never  leave  this  house  alive." 

She  led  me  into  an  adjoining  room,  opened  the 
door  of  a  large  closet,  and  motioned  me  to  enter.  I 
did  so  and  she  closed  the  door  upon  me. 

Then  all  was  silence. 


226  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

TRAITORS  IN  HIGH  PLACES. 

The  next  morning  the  city  of  Arequipa  was  again 
quiet.  There  was  none  of  the  clamor  and  tumult 
that  had  prevailed  during  the  night.  The  soldiers 
were  all  back  in  their  camps,  and  the  streets  were 
silent. 

I  knew  that  it  was  daylight,  but  I  dared  not  leave 
my  hiding  place  for  fear  of  discovery.  At  last  I 
heard  a  welcome  step  in  the  room  without,  and  the 
door  was  opened.  Manuela  was  standing  before 
me,  fresh  and  happy. 

"Did  you  think  I  was  never  coming  to  let  you 
out?"  she  asked  with  a  smile. 

"I  knew  that  you  would  do  what  was  for  the 
best,"  I  returned. 

"My  husband  did  not  go  away  till  a  few  minutes 
ago.  Of  course,  I  dared  not  come  to  you  while  he 
was  here.  He  starts  for  the  interior  with  his  troops 
to-day.  I  shall  be  very  lonely."  As  if  by  accident 
her  eyes  rested  upon  me. 

I  saw  what  she  expected. 

"You  have  me!"  I  cried,  putting  as  much  passion 
as  I  could  muster  into  the  cry. 

She  blushed  very  prettily. 

"And  now  let's  stop  this  fooling,"  I  said  rather 
harshly,  I  fear.  I  wanted  to  stop  this  love  passage : 
I  was  heartily  tired  of  playing  the  hypocrite  any 
longer. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  227 

Manuela  was  a  sensitive  little  creature,  and  she 
was  hurt  by  my  brutal  words.  Her  eyes  filled  with 
tears  and  she  looked  at  me  reproachfully.  I  can 
never  bear  the  sight  of  a  woman  in  tears.  And  I 
pitied  this  pretty  little  woman  who  was  so  deeply 
in  love  with  me.  I  went  and  took  her  in  my  arms. 

"Don't  cry,  dearest,"  I  said,  soothingly.  "I 
didn't  mean  to  be  harsh  with  you." 

She  laid  her  head  confidingly  upon  my  shoulder. 

"I  was  afraid  you  did  not  love  me,"  she  said. 

I  suppose  I  ought  to  have  told  her  the  truth  then 
and  there — it  might  have  saved  a  devil  of  a  sight 
of  trouble — but  I  didn't.  I  merely  drew  her  closer 
to  me  and  told  her  that  I  loved  her  better  than  life, 
that  she  would  always  be  my  own  little  Manuela 
no  matter  what  separated  us,  and  a  great  deal  more 
that  I  don't  just  remember  now.  This  produced  the 
very  effect  that  I  had  meant  to  avoid.  She  threw 
her  arms  about  my  neck  and  sobbed  wildly. 

"Oh,  why  did  I  ever  marry  him?"  she  exclaimed 
half  hysterically.  "I  might  have  known  that  it 
would  come  to  this !  But  I  didn't  think !  I  didn't 
t  hink !  lie  was  rich  and  stood  well  in  the  army  and 
in  society.  They  told  me  that  I  would  have  wealth, 
social  position — everything  a  woman  could  want, 
they  said.  I  might  have  known  what  it  would 
come  to!  I  might  have  known!  I  did  not  love  him ! 
I  did  not  love  him  !  Oh,  I  might  have  known !  He 
was  never  cruel  to  me,  but — oh,  I  hate  him !  I  hate 
him !"  and  she  burst  into  a  torrent  of  incoherent 
sighs. 

I  did  not  know  what  to  do.  I  had  never  been  in 
such  a  position  before.  I  stroked  her  silken  hair 
and  whispered  that  it  all  might  come  out  right  in 


228  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

the  end.  I  was  afraid  that  some  of  the  servants 
would  hear  her  sobs  and  come  to  see  what  was  the 
matter,  but  none  of  them  appeared. 

"My  dearest,"  I  said  tenderly,  "a  cruel  fate  may 
separate  us,  but  our  hearts  will  be  together  for  all 
time.  You  are  my  own  Manuela.  The  fact  that 
you  afe  another's  in  name  won't  alter  the  reality." 
I  was  inwardly  kicking  myself  for  being  the  most 
consummate  hypocrite  on  God's  earth. 

Manuela  lifted  her  eyes  up  to  mine  and  a  happy 
light  shone  in  them. 

"Yes,"  she  said,  exultantly,  "they  may  tear  us 
apart ;  they  may  separate  us  as  far  as  the  heaven  is 
from  the  earth,  but  they  can  never  separate  our 
hearts.  I  am  yours  now  and  forever.  I  love  you ! 
I  love  you !  But,"  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears 
again,  "it  might  have  been  otherwise.  We  would 
have  been  so  happy  together." 

"It  is  doubtless  for  the  best,"  I  said.  "The  good 
God  has  willed  it  so." 

"But  we  would  have  been  so  happy  together.  We 
would  have  had  love — and — and  everything.  I 
am  the  most  miserable  woman  on  the  earth." 

"And  I  am  a  happy  man,  for  I  have  the  knowl- 
edge that  you  love  me." 

She  struggled  to  her  feet. 

"'We  must  part,"  she  said,  "but  I  am  yours  now 
and^forever  more." 

"I  must  go  where  I  will  never  see  you  again,  but 
your  image  will  always  be  in  my  heart." 

I  was  really  determined  to  get  away  from  Are- 
quipa  just  as  soon  as  I  could  and  go  where  I  would 
never  see  her.  God  knows  that  I  had  already 
wronged  her  enough. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  229 

"Don't  go  away,"  she  said  pleadingly.  "I  can- 
not live  without  you." 

"It  is  for  your  sake  that  I  go." 

"I  suppose  that  is  best,  but  I  shall  be  so  unhappy. 
When  are  you  going?" 

"Just  as  soon  as  I  can  get  away." 

"It  may  be  for  the  best,"  she  sobbed,  "but  before 
you  go  come  and  bid  me  good-bye.  Let  me  see  you 
once  more." 

I  consented,  and  she  put  her  arms  around  my 
neck  and  kissed  me  again.  At  the  same  time  I  re- 
solved never  to  see  her  again,  if  I  could  once  get 
away  from  her. 

It  was  necessary  to  get  away  from  the  house  at 
once.  With  Manuela  leading  the  way  I  went  down- 
stairs. Just  as  we  entered  the  patio  we  heard  the 
shuffling  of  feet  without.  Manuela  turned  deadly 
pale,  and  I  thought  she  was  about  to  faint. 

"It  is  my  husband !"  she  exclaimed  hoarsely.  "He 
must  not  see  you  here.  Come !  This  way !" 

All  trembling  with  fear  she  hurried  me  to  a  little 
alcove  at  one  side  of  the  patio,  and  pulling  back 
the  curtain  which  concealed  it,  she  pushed  me  into 
it.  Then  she  let  the  curtain  .fall  back.  It  was  a 
snug  hiding  place,  but  I  confess  that  I  was  alarmed. 
I  knew  that  there  would  be  the  devil  to  pay  if  I  was 
discovered  there.  I  drew  my  revolver  and  cocked 
it.  Then  I  waited  impatiently  for  the  outcome  of 
the  thing. 

By  moving  the  curtain  imperceptibly  I  had  a 
view  of  the  patio.  I  could  see  nothing  of  Manuela. 
In  a  moment  the  door  opened,  and  two  men  en- 
tered. They  glanced  carelessly  about  them,  but 
saw  nothing.  They  were  conversing  about  some 


230  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

matter  when  they  entered.  The  foremost  was  a  tall, 
broad  shouldered  man  of  forty,  the  man  whose 
conversation  with  Satander  at  the  hotel  I  had  in- 
terrupted nearly  two  weeks  before.  He  had  the 
appearance  of  an  ideal  soldier,  an  automaton,  a 
mere  feelingless  machine  for  fighting.  His  face 
was  hard  and  expressionless  as  iron.  If  his  appear- 
ance bespoke  his  true  character,  he  wyas  a  man  from 
whom  all  human  passions  and  motives  had  been 
rooted  out. 

At  first  I  was  not  able  to  distinguish  his  com- 
panion, but  in  a  moment  the  face  was  turned  to- 
ward me.  I  came  near  crying  out.  The  man  was 
none  other  than  Satander.  All  my  suspicions  re- 
turned to  me  with  renewed  force.  I  strained  my 
ear  to  hear  what  they  were  saying. 

"So  you  think  it's  best  for  us  to  attack  Para- 
monte  at  Aguadores,"  Colonel  Aguilar  was  say- 
ing. His  voice  was  rough  and  unmusical,  suited  to 
nothing  but  a  word  of  command. 

"That's  the  very  best  thing  you  can  do.  The 
only  thing,  too,  if  you  really  want  to  crush  this  re- 
bellion. And  the  sooner  you  do  it  the  better  it  will 
be.  You'd  better  not  delay  any  more  than  you  can 
help,  or  you'll  have  another  defeat  like  the  one 
right  here  in  Arequipa." 

"That  was  your  fault,  though.  We  relied  on 
the  information  you  gave  us.  It  was  false.  That's 
how  it  came  about.  If  I  had  got  hold  of  you  that 
night,  I'd  have  chopped  your  head  off  and  thought 
I  was  doing  a  righteous  act." 

"I  was  mightily  outdone  that  night.  Old  Para- 
monte  must  have  been  suspicious  that  something 
was  going  wrong.  He  gave  out  the  plan  that  I 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  231 

suggested  and  sent  you,  but,  damn  it,  when  the 
time  came  he  changed  the  whole  thing.  It  was  too 
late  then  to  let  you  know  about  things." 

"But  we  don't  want  anything  like  that  was  this 
time.  How  many  men  has  Paramonte  got?" 

"He's  got  about  eleven  hundred  in  all.  Old  Ro- 
nianique's  command  didn't  pan  out  as  well  as  he 
hoped.  He  hasn't  got  that  many  with  him  now, 
though,  by  a  devil  of  a  sight.  He's  sent  old  Ro- 
manique  down  south  to  Valle  with  four  hundred. 
He  thinks  I'm  with  Komanique  now.  Romanique 
is  to  draw  your  attention,  and  get  you  to  send 
troops  after  him  down  to  Valle!'' 

"Then  Paramonte  means  to  make  another  raid 
on  the  city,  does  he,  when  our  troops  are  di- 
vided?" 

"That's  exactly  his  plan.  He  thinks  you'll  send 
a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  men  after  Roman- 
ique. Of  course,  that's  about  what  you'd  do  if  you 
didn't  know  the  truth.  Romanique  isn't  to  fight 
if  he  can  help  it.  Paramonte  merely  wants  him  to 
keep  part  of  your  troops  engaged.  Then  the  old 
man  will  capture  Arequipa  again  with  the  troops 
he  has  left.  He  could  do  it,  too.  Those  fellows 
are  regular  devils  for  fighters.  Then  after  he's 
routed  what  of  you  are  in  the  city,  he  will  join  Ro- 
manique, and  together  they'll  crush  the  rest  of 
you." 

"That's  a  pretty  good  plan,  and  I'll  be  hanged  if 
I  wouldn't  have  done  just  what  he  wanted  me  to 
do,  if  I  hadn't  known  that  he  wanted  me  to  do  it. 
We  never  would  get  this  rebellion  crushed  out  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  you." 

"I  don't  believe  you  would.    Even  as  it  is,  you've 


232  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

blundered  through  most  of  the  things  you've  un- 
dertaken. Look  at  that  thing  down  there  at  Tambo. 
That  was  a  devilish  bad  blunder  or  something  that 
somebody  made.  Why,  after  Rascor  had  warned 
them  that  there  the  Sally  J.  was  to  load  and  all 
about  it — why,  hang  it,  man,  surely  they  ought  to 
have  done  more  than  they  did.  You  say  that  your 
men  won,  but,  hang  it,  what  did  they  do?  Noth- 
ing but  capture  some  prisoners  and  kill  a  few  rebels. 
That  did  a  devil  of  a  sight  of  good,  now,  didn't  it? 
You  ought  to  have  captured  the  Sally  J.  and  the 
train  and  the  supplies,  and  everything.  You  must 
do  this  thing  better  than  you  did  that.  Oh,  I  know- 
that  you  didn't  have  command  there,  but  you're 
all  alike.  If  I  was  running  things  I  would  run 
them  right." 

"Well,  if  you  were  in  my  place  what  would  you 
do  now?"  asked  Colonel  Aguilar,  good  huinoredly. 

"I'd  wipe  Paramonte  up  at  one  blow." 

"Yes,  I  know.  That's  what  anybody  would  do. 
But  how  would  you  do  it?  Let's  hear  your  plans. 
You  seem  to  know  so  much  about  how  we  ought 
to  fight." 

"Well,  I'd  take  two  or  three  thousand  men  and 
start  this  very  day.  I'd  march  straight  to  Agua- 
dores.  You  ought  to  get  there  to-morrow  evening. 
Then  I  would  attack  Paramonte  anywhere  I  found 
him.  You  could  cut  his  army  all  to  pieces  in  one 
fight.  Then  you  could  turn  on  Romanique  and  the 
others  and  cut  them  to  pieces  one  by  one." 

"Yes,  your  plan  is  all  right,  but  such  things  are 
much  easier  said  than  done.  Still  I  expect  that's 
about  the  best  thing  we  could  do.  Are  you  going 
back  to  Paramonte?" 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  233 

"I've  been  thinking  about  that.  I  don't  believe  I 
will.  Old  Paramonte  half  suspects  me  now.  So  do 
some  of  the  others.  One  of  them  is  out  of  the  way 
now,  though." 

"Who  is  it?" 

"That  fellow  Garnack.  You  remember  him?  He 
was  the  fellow  who  interrupted  us  at  the  hotel.  1 
made  up  a  lie  that  satisfied  him  for  the  time,  but 
he's  out  of  the  way  now  for  good.  We  won't  have 
any  more  trouble  with  him.  I  think  he  was  killed 
the  other  day  out  scouting.  Anyhow,  he  never  came 
back." 

"We'll  start  this  afternoon  for  Aguadores.  But 
come  in  here.  The  papers  you  wanted  to  examine 
are  in  here."  They  passed  into  another  room. 

I  had  absolute  proof  at  last.  Satander  was  by 
his  own  statement  a  traitor  to  the  cause  of  Para- 
monte. I  had  expected  this  revelation,  but  when 
it  came,  it  left  me  bewildered  all  the  same. 


234  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CHECKMATE. 

I  knew  that  Satander  and  Colonel  Aguilar  would 
not  be  gone  long  and  so  I  did  not  stir  from  my  hid- 
ing place  in  the  little  alcove  from  which  I  had  been 
assured  of  Satander's  villainy  by  the  testimony  of 
his  own  lips.  I  was  trying  to  make  up  my  mind 
as  to  the  course  I  must  pursue.  One  thing  I  de- 
termined upon  without  debate.  If  it  were  possible 
I  must  warn  Paramonte  that  his  plans  were  be- 
trayed and  get  him  to  move  away  from  Aguadores 
before  Aguilar's  troops  arrived  there. 

I  was  still  trying  to  make  up  my  mind  when  Sa- 
tandei*  came  out,  and  with  him  Colonel  Aguilar, 
the  husband  of  the  woman  who  loved  me.  Colonel 
Aguilar  passed  so  close  to  the  alcove  where  I  was 
concealed  that  his  arm  brushed  against  the  curtain. 
I  held  my  breath  and  gripped  my  revolver  tighter. 
Had  he  discovered  me  I  would  have  shot  him  then 
and  there.  But  he  passed  on  and  I  remained  un- 
discovered. A  moment  later  Satander  and  the  Colo- 
nel passed  out  of  the  house  and  the  door  was 
slammed  after  them.  I  was  mightily  relieved. 

In  a  moment,  as  soon  as  the  footfalls  of  the  two 
men  had  died  away,  Manuela  appeared.  A  look 
of  mingled  fear  and  happiness  was  in  her  eyes  as  I 
stepped  out  to  meet  her.  She  put  her  arms  around 
my  neck  and  kissed  me  again  and  again.  I  returned 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  235 

her  caresses  with  sufficient  fervor,  although  it  was 
strongly  against  iny  inclination. 

"Ah,"  she  said  as  she  nestled  her  head  upon  ray 
shoulder  and  her  soft  hair  brushed  against  my 
cheek,  "I  was  so  afraid  they  would  discover  you. 
But  I  am  happy  now.  Ah,  I  never  knew  what  it 
was  to  love  before.  If  only— 

"But  I  must  go  away  now,"  I  interrupted,  "and 
I  must  never  come  back." 

"Don't  speak  of  going  away,"  she  begged,  while 
her  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"But  I  must  go.  I  must  go  to  Paramonte  and 
warn  him.  That  fellow  Satander  has  betrayed  his 
plans.  Your  husband  is  going  to  march  against 
him.  He  will  start  this  afternoon.  I  heard  all 
they  were  saying.  Paramonte's  force  is  divided. 
They  want  to  whip  Paramonte  before  his  force  is 
united  again.  Of  course,  there  must  be  a  battle 
soon.  Paramonte  wants  to  fight,  too.  It  won't  do, 
though,  for  all  your  husband's  men  to  attack  him 
now  while  his  force  is  divided.  It  would  mean  cer- 
tain defeat  for  Paramonte.  Your  husband : 

"My  husband,"  she  exclaimed  a  little  impatient- 
ly. "Don't  speak  of  him.  I  hope  that  there  will  be 

a  battle,  and  that  he  will  be  killed.  Then "•. 

she  said  no  more,  but  the  look  she  cast  me  was  more 
expressive  than  words. 

"Ah,  little  one,"  I  said,  "I  fear  it  will  never  be  so. 
We  must  part  and  never  see  each  other  again.  We 
can  never  be  more  to  each  other  than  we  are  now." 

Manuela  looked  at  me  searchingly. 

"Do  you  really  love  me?"  she  asked  abruptly. 

I  started  violently.  I  had  expected  no  such  ques- 
tion as  this,  and  I  was  quite  taken  aback.  Her 


236  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

pretty  face  was  upturned  to  mine.  Looking  down 
into  the  face  of  the  little  woman  hungering  so  for 
the  love  that  had  never  been  hers,  how  could  I  tell 
her  the  truth?  It  would  have  been  a  greater  crime 
than  I  committed  when  I  lied  to  her. 

"Of  course  I  love  you,"  I  responded.  "I  am  yours 
alone." 

She  was  silent  for  a  minute. 

"You  must  love  me,  at  least  while  you  stay  here," 
she  said,  half  seriously  and  half  laughingly.  "You 
see  that  I  know  that  you  are  a  rebel  and  all.  If  you 
should  prove  false  to  me,  all  I  would  have  to  do 
would  be  to  tell  what  I  know,  and  I  would  have  my 
revenge."  She  looked  up  into  my  eyes  with  an  in- 
nocent smile. 

This  was  indeed  a  serious  thought.  This  woman 
had  me  in  her  power  so  long  as  I  was  in  Arequipa. 
J  at  once  lost  all  desire  for  telling  her  the  truth. 
She  would  never  forgive  the  deception  I  had  prac- 
ticed. I  must  carry  out  the  deception,  or  the  house 
that  I  had  builded  might  fall  upon  me. 

"But  you  wouldn't  do  that,  would  you?"  I  asked. 

"Why  not?"  she  asked. 

"One  reason  is  that  you  would  have  to  compro- 
Vnise  yourself  more  or  less  in  so  doing.  The  most 
powerful  one,  though,  is  that  you  love  me." 

"So  long  as  I  know  that  you  love  me  I — but  if 
you  were  false  to  me — you  don't  know  how  vengeful 
we  women  are.  But  you  love  me !  That  is  enough 
for  me." 

"No  one  could  help  loving  you  and  no  one  could 
be  false  to  you,"  I  said  with  my  best  grace. 

I  was  afraid  that  she  would  discover  from  my  ex- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  237 

pression  that  I  was  really  deceiving  her,  but  she  was 
blinded  by  the  intensity  of  her  own  love  for  me. 

"I  must  go  away  now,"  I  said. 

"And  I  will  never  see  you  again,"  she  added  ab- 
sently. 

"It  is  for  the  best." 

"I  know  that,  but  I—  "  she  choked  up  and  could 
say  no  more. 

"Wear  this  ring  in  token  of  my  love  for  you,"  she 
added  softly,  after  a  moment's  pause.  She  slipped 
a  ring  on  my  finger,  and  touched  my  hand  to  her 
lips. 

"And  my  love  for  you  shall  last  long  as  life  is 
long,"  I  returned  earnestly.  I  was  in  reality  deeply 
touched  by  the  great  love  this  woman  bore  for  me. 
I  was  going  away,  I  would  never  see  her  again. 
Then  while  I  was  with  her  was  it  not  better  to  lie  if 
lying  would  make  her  happier,  than  to  tell  the  truth 
if  the  truth  would  make  her  more  miserable?  God 
knows  I  pitied  her  with  my  whole  heart. 

I  kissed  Manuela  a  last  farewell,  as  we  thought, 
and  passed  out  into  the  street.  She  gazed  after  me 
with  tearful  eyes.  A  great  lump  rose  in  my  throat. 

I  glanced  hurriedly  about  me  as  I  reached  the 
street.  I  started  as  I  saw  Satander  standing 
among  a  little  group  of  men  about  two  squares 
away.  I  did  not  have  a  good  look  at  his  face,  for  it 
was  half  concealed,  and  I  was  only  about  half  con- 
vinced that  it  was  Satander.  He  was  looking  in 
my  direction,  but  he  did  not  show  that  he  recog- 
nized me.  Still  considerable  apprehension  was 
raised  in  my  mind. 

At  first  I  was  expecting  to  be  recognized  by  every 
person  I  met,  In  this  I  overestimated  my  own  iin- 


238  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

portance,  as  I  frequently  do.  The  people  only 
stared  at  me  as  a  foreigner,  and  nobody  realized 
that  I  was  either  a  rebel  or  the  fugitive  of  last  night. 
Soon  I  was  feeling  more  at  ease. 

My  mind  was  all  in  a  whirl.  I  wanted  to  go  to 
some  place  where  I  could  sit  down  and  think  over 
my  course.  With  this  in  view  I  went  to  the  hotel. 
I  registered  as  Mr.  Smith  of  San  Francisco.  I  was 
assigned  to  a  room  on  the  second  floor,  and  I  went 
to  it  immediately. 

I  had  not  been  in  the  room  ten  minutes  when  to 
my  surprise  there  came  a  knock  upon  the  door. 
Thoughts  of  the  police  and  the  like  began  to  flash 
through  my  mind.  With  trembling  knees  I  went  to 
the  door.  Delay  would  benefit  nothing.  I  opened 
the  door,  and  Satander  himself  stood  before  me.  I 
started  back  in  surprise.  I  had  expected  to  see  him 
least  of  anybody.  He  seemed  perfectly  at  ease,  and 
smiled  pleasantly  as  he  entered  the  room  and  sat 
down  without  being  asked. 

"I  just  learned  that  you  were  in  Arequipa,"  he 
said.  "It  was  certainly  an  unexpected  pleasure  to 
see  you." 

He  spoke  in  a  perfectly  easy  and  confident  man- 
ner, but  his  eyes  were  fixed  intently  upon  my  face, 
and  he  seemed  to  be  trying  to  read  my  innermost 
thoughts. 

"The  pleasure  is  mutual,  Captain  Satander,"  I 
returned  with  grave  courtesy.  "I  did  not  expect  to 
see  you  here." 

"How  do  you  come  to  be  here?"  he  asked.  "I 
thought  you  had  been  killed  or  captured  up  in  the 
mountains.  You  didn't  mean  to  desert  us,  I  hope, 
Captain." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  239 

"No,  I  wasn't  captured  and  I  didn't  mean  to  de- 
sert," I  replied.  "I  came  near  being  captured, 
though,  and  couldn't  get  back  to  Paramonte.  I 
knew  that  he  was  coming  down  this  way,  and  so  I 
came  here.  It's  a  long  story,  though." 

"I  suppose  you  want  to  get  back  to  Paramonte?" 

"As  soon  as  I  can  get  back." 

"You  are  a  true  man,  Captain.  If  we  had  a  thou- 
sand such  as  you  and  I  Peru  would  be  ours  in  a 
week." 

I  could  not  repress  a  smile  as  I  listened  to  his 
protestations  and  remembered  what  I  had  heard 
him  say  an  hour  ago.  Satander  noted  the  smile, 
and  his  eyes  gleamed  angrily. 

"General  Paramonte  is  at  Aguadores.  I  am  go- 
ing to  join  him.  I  would  be  glad  to  have  you  with 
me." 

I  was  determined  to  show  Satander  that  I  knew 
of  his  villainy.  I  did  not  reflect  what  the  conse- 
quences might  be ;  I  only  thought  it  would  put  him 
in  my  power.  I  remembered  our  other  journey 
from  Arequipa  and  the  government  soldiers  that 
had  attacked  us,  and  I  saw  a  possible  opening. 

"No,  I  prefer  to  travel  alone,"  I  said.  "I  went 
with  you  once  before,  and  we  were  attacked  by  rob- 
bers— or  soldiers  hired  to  kill  me."  This  last  was 
a  shot  in  the  dark,  but  I  saw  that  it  hit  home. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  he  demanded,  turning 
pale. 

"Have  you  succeeded  in  persuading  Colonel  Agui- 
lar  to  join  us  yet?"  I  asked  with  mock  eagerness. 

Satander  saw  then  that  the  game  was  up  and  that 
I  knew  all.  He  hesitated  for  an  instant  and  then 
stepped  forward,  shaking  his  fist  menacingly.  His 


240  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

voice  was  shrill  and  accusing  when  he  spoke  again. 

"And  what  were  you  doing  at  Colonel  Aguilar's 
house  not  half  an  hour  ago?''  he  demanded  fiercely. 

I  had  not  thought  of  things  taking  this  course. 

"Was  I  there  ?"  I  asked,  to  gain  time  in  which  to 
make  up  some  satisfactory  explanation. 

He  laughed  harshly. 

"Oh,  I  saw  you  come  away.  And  whose  ring  is 
that  you  are  wearing  there?" 

I  hastily  concealed  the  ring,  but  it  was  too  late. 
The  tables  were  turned  with  a  vengeance.  Instead 
of  accusing  him,  I  was  completely  at  a  loss  to  de- 
fend myself  against  the  accusations  he  was  leveling 
against  me. 

"The  ring  is  mine,"  I  stammered. 

He  smiled  derisively. 

"Perhaps  it  is,"  he  said.  "I  have  seen  it  before. 
Senora  Aguilar  is  a  very  pretty  woman." 

I  was  at  a  loss  to  defend  myself  and  Manuela 
from  his  insinuations. 

"How  much  do  you  know?"  Satander  demanded 
a  moment  later. 

I  found  my  voice  again. 

"I  know  all,"  I  said  doggedly.  I  was  not  nearly 
so  confident  as  I  had  been  at  first. 

"All?"  he  repeated,  with  a  slight  catch  in  his 
voice. 

"Yes,  I  know  all.  I  know  that  you  are  a  traitor 
to  Paramonte  and  the  biggest  scoundrel  in  Peru." 

Satander  glared  at  me  like  an  enraged  tiger. 

"What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  your  knowledge?" 
He  spoke  slowly  as  if  each  word  required  a  physical 
effort. 

I  did  not  know  what  Satander  might  attempt.     I 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  241 

put  iny  hand  into  iny  pocket  and  grasped  my  revol- 
ver. The  touch  of  steel  gave  uie  renewed  confi- 
dence. 

"I  haven't  decided  yet,"  I  replied  calmly.  "And 
if  1  had  you  would  be  the  last  person  to  whom  I'd 
tell  my  plans.'' 

Satander  laughed  harshly. 

''I  reckon  you  will  want  to  go  to  Aguadores  to 
warn  Paramonte  that  he's  going  to  be  attacked." 

"And  what  if  I  do?" 

"My  dear  Garnack,  I  didn't  think  you  were  such 
a  confounded  fool  as  that.  Yes,  I  am  a  traitor  to 
Paramonte  and  a  government  spy  and  all  that.  I 
acknowledge  it.  I  never  have  been  anything  but 
that.  I  went  with  Paramonte  to  the  United  States 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  chance  to  betray 
him.  At  San  Francisco  I  might  have  got  the  United 
States  officials  after  the  Sally  J.,  but  that  didn't 
suit  us.  We  didn't  want  just  to  prevent  the  Sally 
J.  from  landing  her  cargo.  We  wanted  to  capture 
that  cargo  for  the  government.  Paramonte  him- 
self didn't  know  just  where  the  Sally  J.  was  to  land. 
If  he  had  I  don't  reckon  he'd  have  told  me.  I  had 
to  get  somebody  on  board  the  Sally  J.  to  betray  her. 
1  had  already  picked  out  a  man  for  the  work.  I 
tried  to  get  him  on  as  a  member  of  the  crew.  When 
I  couldn't  do  that  on  account  of  that  old  Yankee  he 
smuggled  himself  on  board  just  the  same.  From 
what  I  hear  he  scared  you  fellows  half  to  death. 
You  thought  he  was  a  ghost.  We  might  have  cap- 
tured you  there  at  Callao,  but  we  hadn't  any  idea 
that  you  were  near  until  you  were  in  the  harbor. 
Then  you  got  away  before  we  could  do  anything. 
.You  know  how  the  rest  of  it  went,  Yes,  I  am  the 


243  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

biggest  villain  in  all  Peru.  And  I  thank  God  that 
I  have  wrecked  this  infernal  old  rebellion.  In  ten 
days,  Paramonte's  army  will  be  wiped  from  off  the 
face  of  the  earth.  I  tried  to  betray  him  that  time 
he  made  the  attack  on  Arequipa,  but  I  failed.  But 
I'll  be  damned  if  I'm  going  to  fail  this  time.  You 
won't  prevent  me  either.  I  hold  the  trump  cards 
this  time.  Now,  you  swear  to  me  that  you  won't 
make  any  attempt  to  rejoin  Paramonte  or  to  warn 
him  of  anything.  If  you  don't,  all  I  have  to  do  is  to 
say  a  word  and  you  will  be  killed  or  put  in  prison. 
I  won't  have  any  interference  now." 

I  knew  that  what  Satander  said  was  true.  He 
was  playing  for  very  high  stakes.  If  I  blocked  his 
path,  he  would  not  hesitate  to  have  me  killed  or  put 
out  of  the  way.  I  had  been  a  fool  for  ever  letting 
him  know  that  I  even  suspected  that  he  was  a  trait- 
or. As  it  was,  he  had  me  completely  under  his  con- 
trol. 

"And  what  if  I  do  agree  to  not  try  to  warn  Para- 
monte?" I  asked  weakly. 

"Well,"  said  Satander  reflectively,  "I've  got  you 
under  my  control  now.  I  can  make  you  stay  here 
and  not  try  to  warn  Paramonte  without  promising 
anything.  I  could  do  it  by  force  if  no  other  way. 
Still,  I'll  be  fair  to  you.  But,  mind  you,  if  you  break 
the  agreement,  it'll  only  be  the  worse  for  you." 

"If  I  make  any  agreement  I  won't  break  it." 

"If  you  make  no  attempt  to  rejoin  Paramonte,  or 
to  warn  him  in  any  manner  that  he  has  been  be- 
trayed, you  shall  be  at  perfect  liberty  to  leave  the 
country.  I  will  see  that  you  won't  be  molested. 
But  if  you  make  any  attempt  to  join  Paramonte,  it 
will  be  your  death  warrant,  The  best  thing  you 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  243 

can  do  anyhow  is  to  get  out  of  the  country.  You 
haven't  got  any  interests  here.  The  rebellion  is 
doomed.  No  doubt  about  that.  The  best  thing 
you  can  do  is  to  go  away.  And  as  for  your  amour 
with  Sefiora  Aguilar,  no  word  shall  pass  my  lips. 
But  it  won't  be  good  for  her  reputation  or  your  life 
if  you  don't  accept.  My  terms  are  liberal  enough, 
I  think.  Do  you  accept?" 

There  was  nothing  left  for  me  to  do  but  accept. 
Not  only  my  life,  but  Manuela's  honor  depended 
upon  my  acceptance.  I  could  not  betray  her.  Sa- 
tander  held  all  the  winning  cards.  True,  I  had  my 
hand  on  my  revolver,  and  I  might  have  shot  him 
right  there,  but  I  knew  that  in  that  case,  public  as 
the  place  was,  I  would  have  no  chance  of  getting 
away.  If  I  accepted  his  terms  I  might  get  away 
with  a  whole  skin,  but  if  I  shot  him,  I  was  certain  to 
be  hung.  I  was  not  ready  to  die  yet.  I  accepted 
his  terms. 

Satander  left  immediately.  For  all  his  villainy 
he  had  a  spark  of  honor  about  him.  I  felt  confident 
that  he  would  carry  out  his  side  of  the  agreement 
to  the  letter. 

I  inwardly  kicked  myself  for  being  the  most  ar- 
rant fool  alive  for  letting  him  know  that  I  was 
aware  of  the  depth  of  his  villainy.  But  the  thing 
was  done  now. 


244  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

CARMENCITA  PARAMONTE. 

I  was  at  a  loss  to  know  what  I  should  do.  I 
could  not  try  to  warn  Faramonte  that  his  plans  had 
been  betrayed.  I  had  passed  ray  word  on  that. 

I  cursed  myself  roundly  for  my  stupidity  in  al- 
lowing Satander  to  know  that  I  so  much  as  sus- 
pected him.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  I  could  have 
warned  Paramonte  very  easily.  There  would  have 
been  no  obstacles  in  my  path. 

As  it  was  I  was  at  Satander's  mercy  absolutely. 
Not  only  did  my  life  depend  upon  my  carrying  out 
our  agreement,  but  Manuela's  honor.  Had  my  life 
alone  been  at  stake,  I  don't  know  but  that  I  would 
have  refused  to  make  any  promise,  and  taken  the 
risk  of  defying  him.  I  might  have  kept  out  of  his 
clutches  myself  until  I  could  get  out  of  the  city. 
But  more  than  my  life  was  at  stake.  I  did  not  love 
Manuela,  but  I  did  not  want  to  see  her  reputation 
injured,  and  Satander  had  that  power. 

I  determined  at  last  to  go  out  into  the  open  air 
and  see  if  that  would  not  clear  my  mind  somewhat. 
The  day  was  a  beautiful  one  and  there  were  a  great 
many  people  on  the  streets.  None  of  them  recog- 
nized *me,  and  I  was  not  molested.  I  was  confi- 
dent, though,  that  I  was  being  followed. 

Directly  as  I  continued  along  the  street,  I  caught 
sight  of  a  carriage  approaching.  The  carriage  had 
but  one  occupant,  a  woman.  I  recognized  her  im- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  245 

mediately  as  Carmencita  Paramonte.  My  heart 
began  throbbing  as  I  caught  sight  of  her.  She  saw 
me  also  and  recognized  me.  She  smiled  and  drove 
toward  me.  In  a  moment  I  was  at  her  side. 

"Why,  Captain  Garnack,"  she  said,  as  I  seated 
myself  beside  her,  "how  do  you  come  to  be  here?" 

I  told  her  of  our  terrible  adventure  in  the  ca vi- 
and how  we  came  to  Arequipa,  She  listened  to  it 
all  with  rapt  attention,  and  her  eyes  sparkled  witli 
interest.  Very  wisely,  as  I  thought,  I  omitted  all 
reference  to  Manuela  in  my  narrative. 

By  the  time  I  had  finished  my  narrative  we  had 
arrived  at  her  aunt's.  At  her  invitation  I  entered 
the  house  with  her.  In  her  presence  I  came  near 
forgetting  my  troubles. 

"Do  you  know  where  your  father  is?"  I  asked.  I 
hoped  that  she  did  not. 

"No,  I  don't  know  where  he  is,"  she  returned. 
"I  have  been  alarmed  for  him  of  late.  There  are  so 
many  soldiers  here.  Father  will  win,  though,  when 
the  fight  comes." 

"There  will  doubtless  be  more  fighting,"  I  said. 
"I  wish  I  could  join  your  father.  When  the  fight- 
ing comes  I'd  like  to  have  a  hand  in  it  myself." 

"You  might  be  killed,"  she  said  with  a  little  gasp 
of  some  kind  of  emotion. 

"Every  soldier  has  to  take  that  risk,"  I  returned 
with  a  short  laugh.  "Anyhow  I  don't  know  that  it 
would  be  much  loss  if  I  was  to  be  killed." 

She  passed  her  hand  over  her  eyes. 

"Surely  you  do  not  want  to  be  killed." 

"Not  exactly.  But  it  wouldn't  be  much  loss. 
What  am  I  anyhow?  A  mere  outcast.  I  have  no 
country,  no  friends,  no  nothing.  I'm  only  an  ad- 


2 16  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

venturer.  My  sword  is  on  hire  to  the  highest  bid- 
der. Sometimes  I  think  it  would  be  a  God's  bless- 
ing if  I  was  to  get  killed.  No  one  would  care. 
There's  nobody  cares  for  a  poor  devil  like  me." 

"Perhaps  you  are  mistaken,"  she  exclaimed, 
quickly.  "Perhaps  someone  does  care  for  you." 

A  strange  joy  came  over  me.  I  glanced  up  into 
her  eyes  quickly.  There  were  tears  glistening  in 
them.  A  rosy  flush  spread  over  her  face. 

"Do  you  care?"  I  asked  bluntly. 

She  hid  her  face  from  me. 

"I  don't — I  don't  know,"  she  said  with  a  fragment 
of  a  sob,  "but  I  don't  want  you  to  be  killed." 

I  forgot  everything,  the  dangers  which  sur- 
rounded me,  the  vows  I  had  made  to  Manuela  not 
three  hours  before,  everything.  In  a  moment  I  was 
at  her  side. 

"Carmencita,  my  dearest,"  I  whispered,  putting 
my  arms  around  her,  "I  love  you !  I  love  you  mad- 
ly !  I  have  loved  you  since  the  first  time  I  ever  saw 
you.  All  you  have  to  do  is  to  say  the  word,  and  I 
will  stay  at  your  side  so  long  as  there  is  a  breath  of 
life  in  my  body.  Don't  you  love  me,  dearest?" 

"I  don't  know.  I  can't  tell.  I  have  only  known 
you  a  little  while.  It  seems  that  I  have  known  you 
a  lifetime,  though.  If  I  don't  love  you,  I  don't  love 
anybody  else.  I  am  always  so  happy  with  you." 

"My  own  Carmencita !"  I  exclaimed  rapturously. 

I  kissed  her  again  and  again.  Heaven  can  be  no 
sweeter  than  the  next  few  moments  were  to  me. 

"Tell  me,  Carmencita,  my  dearest,"  I  said,  pres- 
ently, "why  you  didn't  want  me  to  come  from  San 
Francisco  with  you  on  the  passenger  steamer." 

"I  wanted  to  tell  you  then,"  she  said,  with  an 
absent  look  in  her  eyes,  "but  I  could  not." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  247 

"But  you  can  now,"  I  urged. 

"You  know  Sefior  Raymond?"  she  said  hesitat- 
ingly. "I  met  him  while  I  was  at  Callao.  He  is  a 
very  good  man.  I  fell  in  love  with  him."  Her  eyes 
drooped.  "We  became  engaged,  but  it  was  without 
my  father's  consent.  I  knew  very  well  that  he 
would  never  give  his  consent.  I  thought  I  loved 
him  truly.  Perhaps  I  did.  It's  all  behind  us  now. 
Father  heard  of  it  somehow.  To  keep  us  from 
meeting  any  more,  he  sent  me  to  my  uncle's  in  Eng- 
land. Sefior  Raymond  returned  to  the  United 
States.  He  met  my  father  there,  and  joined  his  re- 
bellion under  a  false  name, — Whitman.  He  meant 
to  serve  my  father  well,  and  then  ask  his  consent  to 
our  marriage.  But  when  I  came  to  know  you  I  was 
sure  that  I  loved  you.  I  could  not  help  it.  I  tried 
to  remain  faithful  to  him.  I  tried  to  forget  you. 
That  is  why  I  did  not  wish  you  to  go  with  us.  I 
thought  if  you  were  absent  I  might  forget  you. 
Father  did  not  ask  Senor  Raymond  to  go  with  us. 
He  would  have  gone  only  too  readily.  The  longer 
I  was  separated  from  you  the  more  I  thought  of  you, 
the  more  I  loved  you.  I  hungered  for  the  time  I 
would  see  you  again.  I  was  sure  that  I  would  see 
you  again  somehow.  I  believe  that  father  wanted 
me  to  love  you.  I  wae  half  mad  when  I  saw  you 
among  the  prisoners  at  Mollendo.  Then  uncle  got 
you  out.  I  was  so  happy  then.  But  you  were  cap- 
tured again.  That  only  made  it  harder.  The  next 
few  days  to  me  were  days  of  agony  indeed.  At  last 
I  learned  something  of  your  escape  from  Santa 
Rossa.  I  was  overjoyed.  I  saw  nothing  more  of 
you  till  you  came  to  Mollendo.  That  ride  from 
Mollendo  was  the  happiest  day  of  my  life.  I  knew 


248  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

that  you  loved  me,  or  at  least  I  was  pretty  sure  that 
you  did.  Senor  Kaymond  come  to  me  the  next 
evening.  I  told  him  all.  He  was  terribly  hurt, 
but  he  thanked  me  for  having  told  the  truth.  He 
was  a  noble  man." 

"A  nobler  one  never  breathed,"  I  said  heartily. 
"I  know  how  he  must  have  felt  to  have  lost  you." 

"Until  lately  I  think  my  father  wanted  me  to 
marry  Senor  Satander."  I  started.  "He  never  said 
so  in  so  many  words,  but  he  intimated  that.  I  dis- 
trusted him,  though.  I  loathed  him.  He  frightens 
me  whenever  we  meet.  But  I  think  father  has  given 
up  that  plan  now." 

"And  who  does  he  want  you  to  marry  now?"  I 
asked. 

Carmencita  lowered  her  eyes. 

"From  what  he  said  the  last  time  I  saw  him," 
she  said,  "I  think  that  he  rather  favors  you." 

"I  hope  that  his  plans  will  be  fulfilled,  then,"  I 
said,  kissing  her. 

"I  hope  so,  too,"  she  answered,  returning  my 
caress  with  equal  warmth. 

"What  do  you  think  of  Satander,  anyhow?"  I 
asked. 

"I  don't  think  that  he  means  father  any  good. 
He  says,  though,  that  Satander  is  invaluable  to 
him." 

"Senor  Satander  is  a  traitor  to  him !" 

The  words  came  to  my  lips  involuntarily.  The 
next  moment  I  remembered  my  promise,  but  it  was 
too  late.  The  words  could  not  be  recalled. 

Carmencita  started  to  her  feet  and  uttered  a  lit- 
tle shriek  of  alarm.  My  back  was  to  the  door.  I 
turned  quickly  around.  As  I  did  so,  Satander  him- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  249 

self  appeared  from  the  hall  without.  He  had  fol- 
lowed me  and  had  been  admitted  without  our 
knowing  anything  of  it.  Doubtless  he  had  heard 
all  that  we  had  said.  His  eyes  flashed  and  his  face 
worked  convulsively.  He  was  a  picture  of  wrath 
incarnate. 

"So  this  is  the  way  you  keep  your  word,"  he  fair- 
ly hissed  between  his  set  teeth. 

Carmencita  had  retreated  to  the  furthermost 
corner  of  the  room.  She  was  crouching  there  in 
fear.  I  put  my  hands  in  my  pockets  in  a  nonchalant 
way,  but  one  of  them  was  clutching  my  revolver. 
1  fully  expected  Satander  to  try  to  kill  me,  but  the 
touch  of  cold  steel  seemed  to  steady  my  nerves. 

"I  am  not  a  traitor  to  the  cause  I  pretend  to  serve, 
anyhow,"  I  returned  as  coolly  as  possible. 

"You  call  me  a  traitor !"  he  hissed  again,  advanc- 
ing toward  me. 

"Be  careful,"  I  said,  retreating  a  step  or  two. 

He  misconstrued  this  action.  He  thought  that 
I  was  afraid  of  him.  Mad  with  rage,  he  drew  a  lit- 
tle, keen-edged  dagger  from  under  his  cloak.  He 
sprang  toward  me  as  if  to  plunge  it  in  my  breast. 
He  was  capable  of  any  crime. 

''Now  drop  that  weapon!"  I  commanded  sternly. 
I  jerked  my  revolver  from  my  pocket  and  pointed  it 
at  his  head.  He  hesitated  for  one  moment.  My 
finger  crooked  upon  the  trigger  and  I  gave  a  gentle 
pressure.  Never  was  a  man  nearer  death  than 
Juan  Satander  at  that  moment. 

"Drop  that  dagger !"  I  cried  again,  "or  you're  a 
dead  man." 

Satander  saw  that  I  had  the  advantage.  He  let 
the  little  pearl-handled  weapon  slip  from  his  fing- 


250  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

crs.  It  flashed  in  the  air,  the  point  struck  the 
floor  and  stood  upright,  quivering. 

"You  shall  suffer  for  this,"  he  exclaimed  wrath- 
fully. 

"Don't  threaten  me.  My  temper's  none  too  good, 
and  if  you  rouse  me  I  may  be  forced  to  put  a  bullet 
through  you.  You'd  better  keep  cool." 

"Oh,  yes,  you're  a  very  fine  kind  of  a  fellow  with 
your  protestations  of  love.  You're  as  great  a 
scoundrel  as  I  am.  Doubtless  you  made  the  same 
protestations  to  Senora  Aguilar.  Ah,  you're  still 
wearing  that  ring,  I  see." 

"You  seem  to  want  me  to  put  a  bullet  through 
you.  I  won't  hesitate  to  do  it.  You'd  better  keep 
still." 

"If  you  are  a  gentleman  and  an  honorable  man, 
much  less  a  soldier,  you  will  be  willing  to  meet  me 
on  equal  terms,"  he  retorted,  with  sneering  empha- 
sis, as  if  to  intimate  that  I  would  not  dare  to  meet 
him. 

I  was  exasperated. 

"I'm  willing  to  meet  you  any  time,"  I  said.  "It'll 
give  me  pleasure  to  blow  your  head  off." 

"Doubtless,  but  that's  a  game  that  two  can  play 
at.  When  will  you  meet  me?" 

"By  heaven,  I'll  meet  you  any  time  you  choose. 
The  sooner  the  better." 

"It's  now  ten  o'clock.  At  twelve  be  at  the  Misti 
Inn.  You  know  where  it  is.  If  you  don't  you  can 
find  out  easily  enough.  If  you  can  get  a  second 
bring  him  along  with  you.  If  you  can't  come  by 
yourself.  You'll  have  fair  play.  Then  we'll  settle 
these  little  matters  once  and  forever." 

"And  what  do  you  want  to  fight  with?" 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  251 

"I  don't  care.  Anything.  Just  so  I  can  send 
you  to  Hades  I  will  be  satisfied." 

I  controlled  myself  with  an  effort. 

"Say  pistols,  then?" 

"That  suits  me.    I  am  a  dead  shot." 

"So  am  I." 

"You  won't  be  anything  at  one  o'clock,  after  I've 
got  through  with  you." 

Satander  tore  out  of  the  room  as  if  a  thousand 
demons  were  close  upon  his  heels.  The  old  butler 
was  the  only  servant  about.  He  was  half  scared  to 
death. 

I  stood  gazing  after  him  and  wishing  that  I  had 
shot  him  where  he  stood.  Carmencita  recovered 
herself  and  hurried  to  my  side,  all  pale  and  tremb- 
ling. 

"Don't  fight  him !"  she  implored. 

I  put  my  revolver  back  in  my  pocket. 

"Yes,  I  must  fight  him.  I  won't  play  the  coward. 
I  will  teach  him  a  lesson." 

"Don't  go,  my  dearest,"  Carmencita  continued 
pleadingly.  "He  will  kill  you.  He  is  a  dead  shot." 

"So  am  I.  I  am  willing  to  take  the  chances.  You 
would  not  have  me  be  a  coward,  would  you?" 

"No,  I  don't  want  you  to  be  a  coward,  but  if  you 
are  killed,  I  will  have  no  one.  Please  don't  go." 

"I  won't  be  killed." 

"But  you  may  be.  You  don't  know.  What  would 
I  do  if  you  were  to  be  killed?" 

"But  I  must  go." 

"Think  of  me.     I- 

"Surely  you  don't  want  a  coward  for  your 
lover?" 

"Bettor  a  coward  than  a  dead  man." 


252  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

"I  will  not  be  killed." 

"I  see  that  you  are  determined.  I  suppose  1 
must  submit.  But  do  be  careful.  Oh,  I  should  die 
if  you  were  to  be  killed.  I  wish  you  wouldn't  go." 

"But  I  must." 

I  kissed  her  tenderly,  perhaps  for  the  last  time, 
T  thought.  She  put  her  arms  about  my  neck  and 
sobbed  quietly  upon  my  shoulder.  Then  I  broke 
tenderly  away  from  her,  and  hurried  out  of  the 
house. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  253 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE  END  OF  SATANDER. 

I  passed  out  of  the  house  down  onto  the  street. 
I  took  no  notice  of  the  people  on  the  streets.  As 
one  in  a  trance  I  hurried  along  the  streets,  without 
knowing  very  well  where  I  was  going.  Thus  I  con- 
tinued onward  for  a  block  or  two,  when  I  was  ar- 
rested by  a  hand  being  laid  upon  my  shoulder. 

"Garnack !"  a  voice  said. 

A  great  fear  came  over  me.  My  first  impulse 
was  to  take  to  flight.  It  was  as  much  as  I  could  do 
to  restrain  myself  from  following  this  impulse. 
Controlling  my  fears  for  the  moment,  I  glanced 
quickly  around.  My  apprehensions  were  all  gone 
in  a  moment.  The  big,  manly  figure  and  jovial  face 
of  Raymond  was  before  me.  For  a  moment  I 
thought  I  had  seen  a  ghost. 

"Raymond !"  I  gasped. 

"Yes,  it's  me,"  Raymond  returned  lightly.  "But 
what's  the  matter?  You  look  like  you'd  seen  a 
ghost." 

"I  thought  I  had  seen  one,"  I  returned  with  a 
flickering  smile. 

"Ha !  ha !  that's  a  good  one.  I  thought  the  same 
thing  about  you  when  I  first  saw  you." 

"But,  Raymond,  how  on  earth  do  you  come  to  be 
here?  I  thought  you  were  drowned  back  there  in 
the  rapids." 


254  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"I  don't  look  like  I'd  been  drowned,  do  I?  I 
thought  the  same  thing  about  you." 

"But  how  did  you  get  out?"  I  managed  to  ask. 

"Luck's  what  did  it,  I  guess.  I  always  was  luckier 
than  I  deserved.  After  we  run  on  the  rocks  and 
the  raft  smashed  up,  two  of  the  logs  held  together. 
Somehow  or  other  I  was  hangin'  onto  them.  At 
first,  though,  my  head  was  all  muddled  up,  and  I 
didn't  know  much  about  what  was  goin'  on.  I 
guess  I  must  ha'  got  hit  on  the  head  or  somethin'. 
Anyhow,  about  the  first  thing  I  remember  much 
about  was  hangin'  on  to  the  logs.  I  was  down  in 
still  water  then.  Lord!  but  that  water  was  cold, 
though." 

"It  was  cold.  I  remember  that  myself,"  I  said 
with  an  involuntary  shudder. 

"As  I  said,  the  two  of  the  logs  was  holdiu'  to- 
gether. I  was  holdin'  onto  them.  Soon  as  I  got 
sense  enough  I  climbed  up  on  the  logs.  They  held 
me  up,  but  they  sunk  pretty  deep.  Come  to  the 
end  of  the  canon  in  a  few  minutes.  It  was  in  an 
open  country,  but  I  didn't  see  any  place  where  I 
wanted  to  land.  Floated  along  for  several  miles 
that  way.  Then  I  saw  a  couple  of  men  on  shore. 
They  waved  at  me  and  I  landed.  They  were  poor 
folk,  but  they  treated  me  all  right.  I  shan't  forget 
'em  soon.  They  only  had  a  little  hut,  but  they 
made  me  share  it  with  'em.  Told  'em  I  was  a  hunt- 
er or  something  of  the  sort.  I  don't  exactly  remem- 
ber what.  There  wasn't  any  use  of  me  lyin', 
though.  They  were  for  old  Paramonte.  Day  be- 
fore yesterday  I  started  to  come  here  to  Arequipa. 
I  would  ha'  joined  Paramonte  again,  but  I  couldn't 
find  out  where  he  was.  So  I  thought  this'd  be  the 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  253 

best  place  to  go  to  to  find  him.  I  just  got  here  this 
mornin'.  I  was  mightily  surprised  when  I  saw 
you." 

"I'm  devilish  glad  to  meet  you  again." 

"But  what's  the  matter,  Garnack?  You  don't 
look  right.  You're  glum  as  a  funeral." 

"I've  got  a  duel  on  hand  at  twelve  o'clock.  If  you 
don't  object,  I'd  like  to  have  you  for  a  second." 

"And  who  might  be  the  lucky  man  who  has  the 
honor  to  fight  you?"  he  asked. 

"That  fellow  Satander." 

"The  devil !  Why,  man,  Satander's  Paramonte's 
right-hand  man.  How  did  you  come  to  get  into  a 
fight  with  him?" 

"Oh,  we  quarreled  over  a  little  matter  and  he 
challenged  me,"  I  said  hastily. 

Raymond  saw  that  I  did  not  care  to  be  questioned 
about  the  affair  and  he  desisted,  but  I  could  see  that 
his  curiosity  was  excited  to  a  high  pitch. 

"Of  course  I'll  act  for  you,"  he  said. 

Raymond  and  I  went  back  to  the  hotel  where  I 
had  registered.  We  remained  there  until  the  hour 
I  had  promised  to  be  at  the  Misti  Inn  had  almost 
arrived,  and  then  we  hurried  away  in  the  direction 
of  the  Inn. 

"If  I  come  out  of  this  infernal  duel  with  a  whole 
skin,"  I  was  muttering  to  myself,  "and  Satander  is 
killed,  I  reckon  that  will  dissolve  our  compact.  It 
will  for  my  part,  anyhow.  If  I  get  out  all  right 
I'll  try  and  warn  Paramonte." 

The  Misti  Inn  was  a  small  hostelry  of  not  very 
good  repute,  in  a  thinly  built  suburb  and  isolated 
from  the  surrounding  houses.  It  took  us  some 
time  to  get  to  the  place.  It  seemed  that  we  were 


256  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

expected,  for  a  fat,  evil-looking  man  met  us  at  the 
door.  He  glanced  at  us  with  curiosity,  but  asked 
no  questions.  He  motioned  us  to  follow  him,  and 
conducted  us  through  the  Inn  into  a  little  court- 
yard in  the  rear. 

Satander  was  already  there,  with  a  second  and 
a  surgeon.  He  bowed  effusively  to  me  as  I  entered 
the  courtyard,  and  a  sneer  played  about  his  lips. 
This  irritated  and  maddened  me.  I  determined  to 
kill  the  man  if  I  was  able.  Although  he  strove  not 
to  show  it,  I  could  see  that  he  was  nervous.  This 
gave  me  courage. 

With  a  passing  tremor  of  alarm,  I  recognized  Sa- 
tander's  second  as  Colonel  Aguilar.  What  if  Sa- 
tander had  carried  out  his  threat  and  told  Colonel 
Aguilar  of  the  relations  he  thought  existed  between 
me  and  Manuela?  Colonel  Aguilar  was  eyeing  me 
closely.  I  was  confident  that  Satander  had  told 
him  something.  The  thought  of  Manuela  alarmed 
me  more  than  my  own  personal  danger.  If  I  found 
out  that  Colonel  Aguilar  was  aware  of  everything, 
the  only  thing  I  could  do  would  be  to  fight  him,  and 
kill  him  if  possible.  Manuela  must  be  shielded. 

But  Carmencita  was  also  in  my  thoughts. 

"If  things  go  wrong,"  I  said  to  Raymond,  "I  want 
you  to  be  sure  to  protect  Carmencita  from  that 
beast." 

Raymond  started  and  gazed  at  me  searchingly. 

"She  shall  be  protected,"  he  said,  a  little  stiffly,  I 
thought. 

I  have  an  idea  that  deep  down  in  his  bosom,  per- 
haps unconsciously,.  Raymond  harbored  a  slight 
hope  that  I  might  be  killed.  Then  he  might  be  re- 
instated in  his  former  place  in  Carmencita's  affec- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  257 

tions.  Raymond  would  have  indignantly  repelled 
the  suggestion,  but  I  think  it  was  so. 

I  remained  eyeing  Satander  while  Raymond  con- 
ferred with  the  surgeon  and  Colonel  Aguilar.  The 
conference  was  satisfactory,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  preliminaries  were  all  fixed. 

We  were  placed  twenty  paces  apart.  The  re- 
volvers were  loaded  and  put  in  our  hands.  I  con- 
fess that  I  was  very  fearful.  Satander  had  the 
reputation  of  being  a  dead  shot ;  it  was  no  easy  mat- 
ter to  face  a  revolver  like  his.  He  was  very  mani- 
festly disturbed,  though,  and  this  encouraged  me. 

There  was  a  steady,  ominous  glitter  in  Satander's 
eyes  as  he  faced  me.  I  did  not  doubt  that  he  meant 
to  kill  me  if  he  was  able.  Well,  if  I  had  to  be  killed 
I  determined  that  I  would  die  as  befitted  a  brave 
man  and  a  soldier.  For  my  part,  without  the  slight- 
est compunction  of  countenance,  I  meant  to  do  my 
best  to  put  a  bullet  through  his  brain. 

We  were  told  to  make  ready.  I  cocked  my  re- 
volver and  steadied  my  nerves  with  a  strong  effort 
of  the  will.  Then  the  word  was  given  to  fire.  I 
took  quick  aim  and  pulled  the  trigger.  I  fully 
expected  to  feel  Satander's  bullet  tearing  through 
my  body,  but  no,  I  was  untouched. 

It  may  have  been  chance,  it  may  have  been  fate, 
or  it  may  have  been  that  my  bullet  was  better 
aimed.  At  any  rate,  Satander  clapped  his  hand  to 
his  breast,  staggered  a  moment  and  then  sank  into 
a  shapeless  mass. 

"A  good  shot !"  commented  Raymond. 

Colonel  Aguilar  and  the  surgeon  bent  over  Sa- 
tander's prostrate  form.  The  surgeon  examined 
the  wound.  He  shook  his  head  gravely. 


258  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"He's  stone  dead,"  he  announced.  "Your  bullet 
went  through,  his  heart." 

The  surgeon  was  a  very  gentlemanly  sort  of  a 
fellow. 

"This  is  a  very  unfortunate  affair,"  he  said  to 
me,  "especially  as  you  are  a  foreigner  here.  Colonel 
Aguilar  and  I  will  try  to  keep  the  matter  a  secret, 
for  a  while  at  least.  Isn't  that  right,  Colonel?" 

Colonel  Aguilar  hesitated  and  glanced  keenly  at 
me. 

"Yes,  I  like  fair  play,"  he  said.  "This  thing  was 
fought  out  fairly,  and  Seiior  Garnack  should  be 
enabled  to  get  away.  I  will  help  you  keep  his 
secret." 

"Still,  it  is  bound  to  leak  out,"  continued  the 
surgeon.  "I  don't  want  to  see  you  suffer  for  a  fair 
fight.  You  know  how  the  authorities  will  feel. 
Your  being  a  foreigner  only  makes  it  worse.  If 
I  were  in  your  place,  Senor  Garnack,  I  would  lose 
no  time  in  getting  away  from  here." 

"I  will  follow  your  advice,"  I  returned.  "I  will 
leave  Arequipa  as  soon  as  I  can." 

"That  is  for  the  best.  I  hope  that  you  will  get 
away  in  safety."  The  surgeon  grasped  my  hand 
warmly,  and  so  did  Colonel  Aguilar,  though  I  could 
see  that  he  was  suspicious  of  something. 

Still  holding  my  hand,  he  turned  his  eyes  to  it. 
I  tried  to  jerk  away,  but  he  held  my  hand  in  a 
grasp  of  steel.  The  ring  that  Manuela  had  placed 
upon  my  finger  was  still  there.  I  had  meant  to  re- 
move it  after  Satander  had  recognized  it,  but  I  had 
neglected  to  do  it. 

For  a  moment  his  eyes  were  fascinated  by  the 
ring,  and  then  he  turned  fiercely  to  me. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  259 

"Where  did  you  get  that  ring?"  he  demanded 
fiercely.  I  saw  that  he  could  hardly  restrain  him- 
self. 

I  looked  him  squarely  in  the  eye. 

"I  found  it  on  the  street,"  I  said,  thinking  that 
the  best  explanation.  "I  didn't  know  where  to  find 
the  owner,  and  so  I  put  it  on  niy  own  finger.  Is  it 
yours?" 

"No,  it's  not  mine,"  Colonel  Aguilar  returned 
with  a  harsh  laugh.  He  dropped  my  hand  and 
turned  abruptly  away  from  me.  I  could  not  tell 
whether  he  believed  my  explanation  or  not,  Ray- 
mond and  I  hurried  away  from  the  Inn.  I  did  not 
care  to  remain  there  longer  than  was  necessary. 

For  some  time  we  walked  along  without  a  word. 

"Garnack,"  Raymond  said  at  last. 

"What  is  it?"  I  asked. 

"Garnack,  I  want  to  say  a  word  to  you.  I  sup- 
pose you  remember  I  told  you  I  was  in  love  with 
Cannoncita  Paramonte.  Well,  I  was  and  I  am. 
She  was  in  love  with  me  and  she  ain't.  Nearly  two 
weeks  ago  now  I  found  out  that  she  was  here  in 
Arequipa  from  you.  I  went  to  her.  I  thought  she 
loved  me  still.  She  was  brave  enough  to  tell  me 
the  whole  truth — that  her  affections  were  changed. 
She  loved  me  no  longer.  She  loved  you  instead, 
though  God  only  knows  why.  Oh,  I  have  it  from 
her  own  lips!  It  hurt  terribly,  but  it  was  better 
than  if  she'd  acted  the  hypocrite.  Garnack,  do 
you  really  love  this  woman?" 

"I  love  her  with  all  my  heart,"  I  declared  un- 
hesitatingly. 

He  shot  me  a  glance  that  seemed  to  pierce  the 
very  inmost  depths  of  iny  heart. 


260  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"I  believe  you.  I  am  glad  that  it  is  so.  My  love 
is  not  a  selfish  love.  If  Carmencita  will  be  hap- 
pier with  you  than  she  will  with  me,  then  let  her 
marry  you.  Go  ahead  and  win  the  girl.  Perhaps 
you  think  it  will  make  you  emperor  of  Peru  when 
the  old  man  dies,"  with  a  bitter,  sneering  laugh. 
"But  remember  this !  If  you  cause  her  any  unhap- 
piness,  and  I  hear  about  it,  as  sure  as  there's  a 
God  in  heaven,  I'll  blow  your  brains  out." 

Glancing  up  at  him,  I  saw  that  there  were  tears 
standing  in  his  eyes.  With  a  short,  half-maniacal 
laugh,  he  turned  abruptly  away  from  me.  I  could 
not  call  him  back.  I  merely  stood  and  watched 
him  until  he  was  lost  from  sight.  Then  I  continued 
on  my  way. 

I  knew  that  Carmencita  would  be  anxious  about 
me  and  so  I  hurried  to  her  aunt's  to  inform  her  of 
the  outcome  of  the  duel.  Carmencita  herself  opened 
the  door.  As  she  saw  me  there  unharmed  she  ut- 
tered a  little  cry  of  joy. 

"Is  it  all  over?"  she  asked  hesitatingly. 

"Yes,  it's  all  over." 

"You — are  you  hurt?" 

"Not  a  scratch." 

"I  am  so  happy.  I  was  afraid  he  would  kill  you. 
He  is  such  a  terrible  man." 

"He  isn't  terrible  now.    He's  dead." 

Carmencita  passed  her  hand  over  her  eyes. 

"But  you — aren't  you  in  danger?" 

"I  am  going  to  join  your  father.  I  have  just 
found  out  where  he  is.  I  have  come  to  say  good- 
bye." 

A  few  minutes  later  I  left  Carmencita  and  hur- 
ried away  to  prepare  for  my  journey  to  join  Para- 
monte. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  261 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

THE  PASSING  OF  PARAMONTE. 

The  main  body  of  the  government  troops  had 
already  left  Arequipa  and  were  on  their  way  to 
Aguadores.  I  supposed  that  Colonel  Aguilar  was 
with  them.  With  the  surgeon,  he  had  promised  to 
give  me  an  opportunity  to  get  away  from  Arequipa, 
and  I  was  pretty  sure  that  he  would  keep  his  word. 
Still  I  wanted  to  get  away  as  quickly  as  possible. 
I  did  not  know  who  Satander  had  revealed  my 
identity  to.  I  would  not  have  been  surprised  had 
I  been  arrested  at  any  time. 

I  learned  that  there  were  two  routes  by  which 
I  could  get  to  Aguadores.  One  was  direct,  and  the 
road  in  good  condition.  By  this  the  distance  was 
fifteen  miles.  The  other  was  circuitous  and  rough- 
er, and  the  distance  was  about  thirty  miles.  The 
soldiers  were  marching  along  the  first  road.  I 
could  hardly  hope  to  pass  them  without  exciting 
suspicion.  I  decided  to  go  by  the  more  circuitous 
route.  It  was  safer,  and  if  I  traveled  hard  I  might 
reach  Aguadores  in  time  to  warn  Paramonte. 

As  I  was  making  my  preparations  to  go  to  Agua- 
dores and  warn  Paramonte  my  conscience  pricked 
me  somewhat.  I  had  promised  not  to  do  this  very 
thing.  But  then,  I  reflected,  Satander  had  consid- 
ered that  I  had  broken  that  promise  when  I  made 
my  unguarded  expression  concerning  him  to  Car- 
mencita.  I  had  had  to  fight  him  for  this  very  thing. 


262  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

More,  I  was  pretty  confident  that  Satander  had 
not  kept  his  side  of  the  agreement  and  had  told 
Colonel  Aguilar  of  the  relation  he  thought  existed 
between  Manuela  and  myself.  I  allayed  my  com- 
punctions of  conscience  with  these  reflections,  and 
left  Arequipa. 

I  was  assured  that  a  horse  would  never  pick  his 
way  over  the  road  that  I  was  about  to  traverse,  and 
1  was  forced  to  content  myself  with  a  mule.  It  was 
well  along  in  the  afternoon  when  I  rode  out  of  Are- 
quipa. My  road  lay  in  a  northerly  direction.  For 
the  first  few  miles  it  was  in  fair  condition,  consid- 
ering that  it  was  in  Peru.  Soon,  however,  it  struck 
a  rougher  region,  and  began  ascending  the  moun- 
tain side. 

Here  it  became  a  mere  narrow  mule  path  cut  out 
of  the  mountain  side.  It  was  strewed  with  boulders 
of  all  shapes  and  sizes.  It  wound  in  tortuous  curves 
along  the  mountain  side,  carefully  choosing  the 
line  of  least  resistance,  yet  always  climbing.  Now 
it  was  skirting  along  the  base  of  a  mighty  precipice, 
and  a  few  minutes  later  creeping  along  the  edge  of 
another  or  the  same.  There  was  no  forcing  my 
mule  out  of  a  walk  over  such  a  pathway  as  that.  I 
did  not  know  at  what  moment  I  might  be  precipi- 
tated into  an  abyss.  However,  the  mule  picked  its 
way  without  mishap;  it  was  accustomed  to  this. 

Without  molestation,  I  reached  a  little  wayside 
inn  just  before  nightfall.  The  accommodations  were 
poor  and  the  house  was  already  overcrowded.  How- 
ever, I  got  my  supper,  though  the  food  was  poor 
enough,  and  the  privilege  of  stretching  my  limbs 
upon  the  floor.  The  mule  had  to  content  itself  with 
a  little  forage  and  the  mountain  air. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  263 

At  daybreak  I  was  up.  I  ate  my  scanty  break- 
fast, and  was  on  the  way  before  any  of  the  other 
guests  had  awakened.  I  was  now  journeying  over 
the  wild  sierras.  The  mountain  peaks  towered  up 
about  me  in  sublime  grandeur.  The  clear  morning 
sunlight  disclosed  them  in  all  their  beauty.  I 
never  beheld  a  more  impressive  scene. 

I  did  not  care  much  for  the  beauties  of  nature, 
though.  My  one  object  was  to  get  to  Paramonte 
as  soon  as  possible  and  warn  him  of  his  danger.  I 
urged  my  mule  along  with  every  sort  of  persuasion 
I  could  think  of,  but  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  beast 
traveled  with  maddening  slowness.  Hour  after 
hour  passed,  and  it  was  well  along  in  the  afternoon 
that  I  learned  from  a  man  I  met  that  I  was  only  a 
few  miles  from  Aguadores. 

Shortly  afterward  the  trail  descended  into  a 
beautiful  narrow  valley  among  the  mountains.  I 
could  see  a  pleasant  little  village  nestling  close 
down  in  the  valley.  I  was  convinced  that  this  was 
Aguadores.  I  thought  I  could  even  see  the  tents  of 
Paramonte's  army. 

Half  an  hour  later  I  was  startled — though  I  had 
expected  it — by  the  quien  va  of  a  sentinel.  At  first 
I  was  afraid  I  had  by  some  inadvertence  fallen  in 
with  some  of  the  government  troops ;  but  the  man 
disclosed  himself,  and  I  saw  with  joy  that  he  wore 
Paramonte's  uniform. 

I  surrendered  immediately  and  asked  to  be  taken 
to  General  Paramonte;  I  had  important  news  for 
him.  The  man  called  an  officer.  This  was  a  young 
fellow  with  whom  I  had  become  acquainted  during 
my  connection  with  Paramonte.  He  promptly  rec- 


264  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

ognized  me.  Ten  minutes  later  I  was  in  Para- 
monte's  tent. 

"Why,  Captain  Garnack,"  Paramonte  exclaimed, 
springing  to  his  feet  in  amazement,  "how  do  you 
come  to  be  here?  I  thought  all  of  you  were  killed  at 
Buco." 

"We  weren't,  though,  General,"  I  returned.  "At 
least  Raymond,  Riablo  and  I  weren't.  The  other 
two  fellows  got  killed.  I  got  away  and  came  to 
Arequipa.  I  didn't  know  where  you  were,  so  I 
thought  that  was  the  best  thing  I  could  do.  I  don't 
know  where  Raymond  and  Riablo  are.  They  got 
away  from  me.  I  haven't  got  time  to  tell  the  whole 
story  now." 

"But  what  brings  you  here  in  such  a  hurry? 
You  have  been  traveling  like  mad.  Has  anything 
gone  wrong?"  Paramonte  asked. 

"Yes,  General,  something  has  gone  wrong.  Your 
force  and  your  position  and  everything  are  known. 
They  know  that  you  have  divided  your  force.  The 
government  troops  are  on  their  way  here  now. 
They  must  be  somewhere  near  here  by  this  time.  I 
was  half  afraid  I  was  too  late.  There  are  twenty- 
five  hundred  of  them.  All  your  plans  have  been  be- 
trayed." 

"Who  is  it  that  has  betrayed  my  plans?"  he  asked, 
his  eyes  gleaming  ominously. 

"Satander,"  I  replied,  "he— 

"Satander?  Impossible.  I  sent  him  off  three 
days  ago  with  Colonel  Romanique  around  to  the 
south  of  Arequipa.  They  were  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  enemy.  Satander  himself  asked  to 
go.  Surely  you  are  mistaken." 

"He  was  in  Arequipa  yesterday,"   I  returned. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  265 

"I  heard  him  with  my  own  ears  reveal  your  plans 
to  Colonel  Aguilar." 

"The  devil !  If  he  ever  comes  back  here,  I'll  have 
him  strung  up  to  the  nearest  tree." 

"He'll  never  come  back,"  I  said  with  a  laugh. 

"He's  bold  enough  to  risk  anything." 

"He's  dead.  I  fought  a  duel  with  him  yesterday 
morning,  and  killed  him." 

"The  devil  you  did !"  Paramonte  exclaimed, 
angry  at  first.  "I'm  glad  he's  out  of  the  way,"  he 
added. 

"He  won't  trouble  us  any  more." 

"This  is  serious,"  said  Paramonte  with  knitted 
brow.  "I  hardly  know  what  to  do.  I've  only  got 
seven  hundred  men  now.  You  say  there  are  twenty- 
five  hundred  of  the  government  troops.  I  can't  af- 
ford to  fight.  They  must  be  near  here  now.  The 
only  thing  I  see  to  do  is  to  get  out  of  the  wray  before 
they  get  ready  to  attack  us." 

In  a  minute  all  was  bustle  in  the  camp.  Men 
ran  too  and  fro,  in  the  greatest  confusion,  officers 
bawled  out  their  orders,  tents  wrere  struck  and 
everything  made  ready  to  march. 

Had  I  arrived  an  hour,  or  even  half  an  hour 
earlier,  we  might  have  got  away  from  the  camp 
without  fighting,  but  I  came  just  that  much  too 
late. 

Even  as  the  preparations  for  retreat  were  being 
made  the  crack  of  a  score  of 'rifles  suddenly  burst 
upon  our  ears  from  some  distance  away,  along  the 
road  that  led  direct  to  Arequipa,  and  over  which 
the  government  troops  were  to  come.  There  could 
•be  but  one  meaning  to  the  sound.  The  government 


26C  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

troops  had  arrived  and  they  had  struck  our  out- 
posts. 

It  was  not  a  good  place  for  fighting  of  any  sort. 
We  were  a  little  distance  away  from  the  village  of 
Aguadores,  deep  down  in  a  narrow  valley.  The 
mountain  sides  were  thickly  wooded;  the  valley 
was  extremely  narrow ;  no  strategy  was  possible. 

There  was  no  possibility  of  retreat  now.  The 
government  troops  had  arrived  and  we  must  fight. 
The  half-packed  luggage  was  dropped  and  left  to 
take  care  of  itself.  The  men  hastily  grabbed  up 
their  rifles  and  got  into  line. 

I  could  see  that  Paramonte  was  depressed.  All 
his  confidence  in  his  own  ability  seemed  to  have 
left  him.  He  was  uncertain  what  plan  he  should 
pursue. 

In  a  moment  the  government  troops  appeared  in 
sight.  Our  men  fired  at  them,  but  they  advanced 
steadily.  The  steady  stream  of  government  soldiers 
came  rushing  up,  and  our  bullets  produced  no  ef- 
fect upon  them. 

Paramonte  displayed  an  utter  lack  of  ability.  He 
seemed  to  be  paralyzed.  The  mighty  Napoleon  of 
the  south,  as  he  would  have  styled  himself,  was 
mighty  no  longer.  The  men  were  all  huddled  in  an 
unwieldy  mass  in  the  narrow  valley,  exposed  to 
fire  from  every  direction.  And  Paramonte  did  not 
seem  to  know  how  to  change  this. 

The  government  troops  quickly  threw  out  de- 
tachments along  the  mountain  sides.  Paramonte 
made  no  effort  to  prevent  this;  he  seemed  hardly 
aware  that  it  was  being  done.  In  a  few  minutes  we 
were  surrounded  on  three  sides,  and  government 
troops  were  still  pouring  up.  We  were  fighting 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  267 

against  hopeless  odds,  but  we  could  do  nothing  but 
fight. 

Paranionte  was  unable  to  do  anything,  and  no- 
body else  dared  do  anything  for  fear  of  his  anger, 
if  indeed  anything  could  have  been  done.  The 
men  were  all  huddled  together  in  compact  masses, 
exposed  to  a  terrific  fire,  which  they  were  unable  to 
return  with  any  degree  of  effect. 

No  wonder  a  panic  came  over  the  men.  Under 
our  conditions  few  veterans  would  have  stood  up 
before  that  fire,  with  no  one  to  lead  them,  as  it 
seemed,  merely  to  stand  there  and  be  shot  down. 
And  Paramonte's  men  were  not  regulars.  They 
were  mere  ragtags,  brave  enough  personally,  and 
good  fighters  when  things  are  going  well,  but  with- 
out cohesion.  They  broke  and  fled  in  every  direc- 
tion, many  rushing  right  into  the  enemy's  lines. 

The  government  troops  pursued  close  after  us, 
pouring  volley  after  volley  into  the  disorganized 
mass  of  fugitives.  Our  men  made  no  resistance. 
They  knew  that  they  might  as  well  have  tried  to 
beat  back  the  waves  of  the  ocean  as  to  check  the 
wild  pursuit. 

I  was  no  better  than  the  rest  I  was  in  the  midst 
of  the  howling  mob.  We  did  not  know  where  we 
were  going.  We  merely  wanted  to  get  somewhere; 
the  rest  was  immaterial. 

Paranionte  was  close  by  me.  He  had  no  control 
over  his  men.  The  agony  of  defeated  ambition  was 
written  upon  his  face.  He  realized  full  well  that 
he  was  completely  defeated,  and  that  the  mighty 
empire  he  was  to  found  had  crumbled  to  dust.  True 
he  had  other  troops  to  fall  upon  if  he  was  able  to 
escape  this  time,  but  they  were  but  few  in  num- 


268  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

ber,  and  they  would  be  discouraged  at  the  crushing 
defeat  of  the  flower  of  his  army.  The  people,  too, 
would  no  longer  be  on  his  side,  now  that  he  was  no 
longer  victorious.  He  could  never  hope  to  regain 
the  power  he  had  lost. 

Suddenly  the  noble  old  man  threw  up  his  hands, 
and  swayed  as  if  he  were  about  to  fall.  A  red  stain 
was  creeping  over  the  white  of  his  uniform.  He 
had  been  hit.  He  swayed  and  staggered ;  I  caught 
him  just  as  he  was  falling. 

I  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  The  government 
troops  were  close  on  our  heels,  and  their  bullets 
were  whistling  about  our  heads  in  a  most  annoying 
manner.  For  a  moment  I  had  a  mind  to  leave  Para- 
monte  to  his  fate,  but  a  vision  of  Carmencita  ap- 
peared before  my  eyes,  and  I  staggered  forward, 
supporting  the  unconscious  form  of  my  chieftain. 

Now  jostled  by  those  behind,  now  stopped  by 
those  in  front,  I  carried  Paramonte  along  as  well  as 
I  could.  I  knew  that  I  could  not  carry  this  heavy 
burden  long;  but  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  de- 
sert my  chief. 

A  little  mountain  stream  flowed  through  the 
valley,  and  we  were  swarming  through  it.  I  glanced 
down  the  stream.  The  banks  were  rather  high  and 
precipitous.  A  sort  of  a  leafy  tree  grew  along 
the  stream  to  a  considerable  height.  A  sort  of  a 
narrow  gallery  was  formed  by  these  trees  on  one 
side,  and  the  high,  precipitous  bank  on  the  other. 

There  was  no  time  to  reflect.  If  I  hesitated  I 
would  be  borne  on  past  the  place  by  the  surging 
mass  of  fugitives.  Dragging  Paramonte's  body 
after  me,  I  darted  away  from  the  mob  into  the  half 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  269 

cave.  I  was  confident  that  I  had  not  been  ob- 
served. 

I  hurried  along  this  shaded  gallery  for  perhaps 
a  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  Then  a  bend  in  the 
stream  shut  off  everything  from  my  sight,  save  a 
stray  glimpse  of  the  hill  opposite  through  a  rift  in 
the  dense  foliage.  I  could  still  hear  the  cracks  of 
the  rifles  and  the  shouts  of  the  fugitives  and  their 
pursuers,  but  no  one  approached  my  hiding  place. 

Once  a  government  officer  and  a  few  soldiers  ap- 
peared on  the  bank  opposite,  and  I  held  my  breath. 
Little  did  they  think  that  hid  beneath  that  flimsy 
curtain  of  foliage  was  the  leader  of  the  rebellion 
they  were  to  put  down  and  one  of  his  officers.  They 
quickly  passed  on. 

I  laid  Paramonte  out  at  full  length  upon  the 
damp  ground.  He  was  still  unconscious,  but  he 
was  breathing  feebly.  I  haven't  much  skill  as  a 
physician,  but  I  was  sure  Paramonte  could  not  live 
many  hours.  And  the  rebellion  of  which  he  had 
been  the  head  would  die  with  him. 

I  stanched  the  flow  of  blood  from  the  wound  in 
his  breast  as  well  as  I  could.  The  wound  was 
plainly  a  mortal  one.  I  had  a  handkerchief,  and 
wetting  it  I  applied  it  to  his  head.  I  dashed  water 
into  his  face,  loosened  his  clothing,  forced  a  draught 
of  brandy  between  his  lips,  and  did  everything  I 
could  to  restore  him  to  consciousness. 

Finally  my  efforts  were  rewarded.  Wearily 
Paramonte  opened  his  eyes  and  gazed  about  him 
in  bewilderment.  He  seemed  dazed  for  a  time,  and 
only  gradually  recovered  his  full  senses.  He  was 
fearfully  weak  and  his  breath  came  in  short  gasps. 
He  could  not  survive  much  longer. 


270  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Is  that  you,  Captain?"  be  asked.  He  evidently 
thought  he  knew  me,  but  was  uncertain. 

"Yes,  it  is  I,  General,"  I  replied. 

The  cries  and  the  tumult  of  the  battle  and  the 
flight  were  already  becoming  fainter  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

"We  have  lost,  Captain,"  he  said  in  a  weak 
voice. 

"It  seems  that  way  now,  General,"  I  replied, 
"but  perhaps  it  isn't  so  bad  as  we  think." 

"Yes,  we  have  lost  the  battle,"  he  said,  dreamily. 
"And  Peru  is  lost !" 

"Maybe  not,  General." 

"Yes,  Peru  is  lost,  and  I  am  going,  too.  No,  you 
needn't  say  anything.  I  know  very  well  that  I  am 
going  to  die.  Well,  if  Peru  is  lost  it  is  for  the 
best." 

"Let  us  hope,  General." 

"There  is  no  hope.  But,  Captain  Garnack,  I 
have  a  trust  for  you."  He  was  very  weak  and 
could  hardly  speak  above  a  whisper.  "Listen.  It 
concerns  Carmencita,  my  daughter.  She  may  be 
in  danger.  When  I  am  dead  you  must  go  to  Are- 
quipa.  You  must  care  for  her.  I  think  she  loves 
you,  Garnack.  Get  her  out  of  Peru,  if  you  can. 
She  will  be  safer  then.  She  is  a  good  girl.  You— 

His  words  merged  into  an  indistinct  mumble.  I 
started  to  tell  him  that  I  had  spoken  to  Carmencita, 
but  before  I  could  control  myself  again  sufficient 
to  speak  he  was  unconscious.  With  tears  in  my 
eyes  and  a  lump  in  my  throat  I  caught  the  dying 
man's  hand  and  watched  him  as  his  little  remaining 
strength  ebbed  away. 

He  never    recovered    consciousness   and    never 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  271 

spoke  again.  His  heart-beats  kept  getting  weaker 
and  weaker,  and  an  hour  later,  just  as  the  sun  was 
sinking  behind  the  mountains,  and  darkness  was 
creeping  over  the  grim  scenes  of  the  battlefield, 
the  soul  of  the  man  who  had  meant  to  make  him- 
self and  his  nation  great  passed  to  its  final  resting 
place.  Paranionte,  the  mighty,  was  no  more ! 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

MANUELA. 

Paramonte  was  dead,  and  his  rebellion  had  died 
with  him.  It  was  only  a  matter  of  time  now  until 
the  whole  of  the  rebel  forces  would  be  beaten.  I 
realized  this  perfectly.  I  determined  to  go  back  to 
Arequipa,  if  possible,  get  Carmencita  to  accompany 
ine,  and  then  leave  the  country.  I  never  wanted 
to  see  the  countrv  again  after  all  mv  experiences  in 
it. 

After  thoroughly  dispersing  the  rebels,  and  pur- 
suing them  for  considerable  distance,  the  govern- 
ment troops  had  returned  to  the  village  of  Agua- 
dores  and  pitched  their  camp.  Many  of  the  rebels 
had  been  taken  prisoners,  and  the  rest  were 
thoroughly  dispersed.  Their  victory  was  complete. 
They  had  suffered  but  little  loss,  and  were  gay  and 
happy.  The  light  of  their  campfires  cast  a  weird 
glow  over  the  valley  and  the  wooded  mountain 
sides.  They  were  but  a  short  distance  away  from 
me.  I  could  hear  the  songs  and  their  laughter. 

I  wanted  to  return  to  Arequipa  by  the  shortest 
route.  To  do  this  I  would  have  to  pass  the  camp.  I 
hurried  up  the  creek,  keeping  close  under  the  shel- 
ter of  the  banks  of  the  little  stream.  They  were  not 
on  the  outlook  for  fugitives,  and  I  managed  to  skirt 
past  their  camp  without  being  discovered  by  the 
sentries  or  any  one  else.  It  was  pretty  risky  busi- 
ness, though.  Once  I  had  to  pass  one  of  them  in 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  273 

the  bank  just  above  me.  I  saw  him  plainly,  but 
I  was  in  the  shadow  and  he  did  not  see  me.  My 
heart  was  in  my  mouth,  though,  until  I  was  past. 

Before  long  I  had  got  well  beyond  the  limits  of 
the  camp.  As  1  could  sec  no  sentries  about,  I  left 
the  creek  and  started  along  the  narrow  road.  I 
hurried  away  in  the  direction  of  Arequipa.  The 
moon  was  shining  brightly.  I  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  the  way.  I  trudged  steadily  forward  for 
five  or  six  miles,  without  once  stopping.  I  wanted 
to  put  as  great  a  distance  as  possible  between  me 
and  the  government  troops. 

By  the  time  I  had  gone  this  distance,  however, 
I  was  becoming  fatigued.  Certain  that  I  could  get 
to  Arequipa  easily  the  next  day,  I  took  refuge  in 
an  old  barn  by  the  wayside,  and,  casting  myself 
upon  the  hay,  I  went  to  sleep. 

I  awoke  early  and  was  journeying  on  at  day- 
break. I  got  my  breakfast  at  a  little  wayside  inn. 
Although  the  people  stared  at  me  rather  hard  some- 
times, they  asked  no  questions.  I  pushed  forward 
with  all  possible  speed,  and  met  with  no  incident 
on  the  way.  Shortly  after  midday  I  arrived  once 
more  at  the  city  of  Arequipa. 

The  long,  tiresome  journey  had  been  fraught 
with  the  anticipation  of  my  meeting  with  Carmen- 
cita.  I  would  have  to  break  the  news  of  her 
father's  death  to  her  as  gently  as  I  could,  and  then 
I  would  carry  out  his  last  suggestion  and  try  to  get 
her  out  of  Peru. 

As  soon  as  I  got  to  Arequipa  I  went  straight  to 
Carmencita's.  Carmencita  herself  admitted  me.  A 
soft,  radiant  smile  overspread  her  face  as  she  recog- 
nized me. 


274  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Was  there  a  battle?"  she  asked  eagerly.  "How- 
do  you  come  back  so  soon?  Were  you  hurt?" 

"There  was  a  big  fight,"  I  replied.  "I  was  not 
hurt.  Your  father—  I  faltered. 

Carmencita  turned  deadly  pale  and  clutched  at 
my  arm  for  support. 

"Was  he — killed?"  she  asked,  almost  in  a 
whisper. 

There  was  no  use  to  deceive  her. 

"Yes,  he  was  killed,"  I  returned,  bluntly,  yet 
with  all  tenderness. 

For  a  moment  I  thought  she  was  going  to  faint. 
I  put  out  my  arm  to  support  her.  She  recovered 
herself,  however,  with  an  effort  of  the  will,  and 
looked  up  at  me  bravely. 

"How  was  it?"  she  asked  simply. 

"We  were  utterly  defeated,"  I  said.  "I  got  to 
your  father's  camp  just  too  late  to  enable  him  to 
make  good  his  retreat  before  we  were  attacked.  The 
government  troops  came  upon  us  unexpectedly. 
They  were  four  to  one.  Of  course  we  couldn't  hold 
out  against  those  odds.  Your  father  was  shot.  I 
carried  him  away  and  managed  to  conceal  him.  He 
died  in  an  hour  or  so.  The  last  words  he  uttered 
were  for  me  to  take  care  of  you.  He  said  he  thought 
you  loved  me.  He  "didn't  know  that  I  knew  it, 
though.  I  meant  to  tell  him,  but  he  died  before  I 
could." 

She  was  weeping  silently. 

"But  don't  cry,  my  dearest,"  I  said.  "You  still 
have  me.  We  will  get  out  of  this  country,  and  we 
will  leave  all  this  behind  us.  Then — ah,  then !" 

"Yes,  I  still  have  you,"  she  said,  sobbing,  "and 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  275 

you  are  more  to  me  than  anything  else  in  this 
world." 

She  wept  silently,  with  her  head  pillowed  upon 
my  shoulder. 

"Sweetheart,"  I  said  at  last,  "we  must  leave  Are- 
quipa." 

"Yes,  we  must,"  she  said,  with  a  tired  little  sigh. 
"I  will  never  be  happy  here.  I  will  go  with  you 
anywhere." 

"We  must  go  soon — to-morrow." 

"If  you  say  so,  I  will  be  ready." 

"The  sooner  we  get  away  the  better  it  will  be." 

"Yes,  I  suppose  so." 

"Yes,  we  had  better  go  to-morrow.  I  think  the 
best  thing  for  us  to  do  is  to  take  a  train  from  here 
to  Mollendo.  I  don't  think  we  will  be  suspected. 
At  Mollendo  we  will  go  to  Sefior  Helaraz's.  We 
can  stay  there  until  a  steamer  comes  that  we  can 
get  away  on.  Then  we  will  get  out  of  vour  coun- 
try." 

"Yes,  we  will  go,"  she  said.  "I  trust  you  fully. 
I  would  follow  you  to  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

Had  we  desired  to  have  left  that  day  we  could 
not  have  done  so,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there 
would  be  no  train  to  Mollendo  until  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

After  some  further  planning  I  took  my  leave. 
Carmencita  promised  to  be  ready  to  go  the  next 
morning.  I  went  directly  to  the  hotel  and  regis- 
tered under  the  name  I  had  given  before.  I  made 
inquiries  concerning  Raymond,  but  I  could  learn 
nothing  of  his  whereabouts.  I  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  he  had  left  Arequipa,  but  where  he  had 
gone  I  had  no  idea. 


276  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

I  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  getting  things 
ready  for  our  flight.  I  retired  early,  and  despite 
nay  cares  slept  like  a  log  that  night. 

Next  morning  I  proceeded  directly  to  Carmen- 
cita's.  She  welcomed  me  warmly,  and  we  immedi- 
ately started  to  the  station.  We  would  soon  leave 
Arequipa  behind  us. 

On  our  way  to  the  station  once  I  thought  I  caught 
sight  of  Manuela  in  the  distance.  A  dim  feeling  of 
apprehension  seemed  to  take  hold  of  me.  However, 
I  was  not  sure  that  it  was  Manuela,  and  if  it  was, 
I  reflected,  the  chances  were  that  she  had  not  seen 
me.  I  was  uneasy,  though. 

We  got  to  the  station  without  incident.  Some- 
thing had  gone  wrong  with  the  engine,  and  the 
train  had  not  yet  pulled  up  to  the  station.  We 
passed  into  the  dirty  little  waiting  room  to  wait 
for  the  train.  There  was  no  one  else  in  the  room. 
There  was  no  telling  how  long  we  would  have  to 
wait,  so  we  proceeded  to  make  ourselves  as  comfort- 
able as  possible. 

We  were  having  a  very  charming  tete-a-tete, 
when  the  door  was  again  opened  and  some  one  else 
entered.  The  step  was  light,  like  a  woman's.  Vexed 
at  having  our  tete-a-tete  interrupted,  I  turned  to- 
ward the  intruder.  My  heart  gave  a  great  thump. 
It  was  Manuela! 

She  glanced  quickly  round  the  room  as  if  search- 
ing for  some  one,  and  caught  sight  of  me  imme- 
diately. 

"You  here!"  she  exclaimed,  passing  her  hand 
across  her  forehead.  "I  thought  it  was  you." 

Carmencita  was  regarding  me  with  suspicion. 
Manuela  made  a  move  as  if  to  throw  herself  in  my 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  277 

arms.  She  had  not  noticed  the  presence  of  Car- 
mencita.  I  stepped  back. 

''What  is  the  matter,  my  dear?"  she  asked,  with 
a  look  of  reproach.  Then  she  caught  sight  of  Car- 
mencita.  "Who  is  this  woman?"  she  asked. 

Both  women  were  perplexed;  so  was  I.  They 
glanced  alternately  at  me  and  at  each  other.  My 
brain  was  thoroughly  befuddled.  I  did  not  know 
what  to  do.  A  cold  perspiration  was  standing  out 
all  over  my  body.  Carmencita's  ready  mind  took 
in  the  situation  quickly.  Manuela  was  slower  in 
comprehending  it. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  Carmencita  asked,  turn- 
ing to  me  for  an  explanation.  She  had  risen  and 
was  standing  majestically  erect.  She  looked  every 
inch  a  queen  then.  I  was  cowed  by  her  piercing 
glance. 

"I — I — you — that  is "  I  stammered  in  the 

greatest  confusion.  All  power  of  speech  seemed  to 
have  deserted  me.  I  was  at  a  complete  loss  for  an 
explanation  that  would  satisfy  either  of  them. 

I  glanced  at  Manuela.  Tears  were  standing  in 
her  eyes.  "Yes,  what  is  the  meaning  of  her  being 
here  with  you?"  she  asked,  passionately,  indicat- 
ing Carmencita  by  a  gesture. 

I  could  not  speak.  My  tongue  seemed  to  be  para- 
lyzed and  refused  to  act.  I  had  an  uncontrollable 
impulse  to  run  away  and  leave  the  two  women  to 
make  the  best  explanation  they  could,  but  my  limbs 
refused  to  move.  I  stood  there  as  if  rooted  to  the 
floor. 

"Can't  you  speak?"  demanded  Carmencita, 
harshly. 

I  could  not. 


278  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"What  is  he  to  you?"  Carmencita  asked,  sudden- 
ly turning  upon  Manuela,  and  speaking  with  fierce 
energy. 

Manuela  cowered  before  her  glance.  She  crept 
up  to  my  side  and  clung  to  my  arm.  I  tried  to  jerk 
away  from  her,  but  my  strength  failed  me.  I  could 
only  stand  there  like  a  complete  fool,  unable  to  do 
anything. 

"He  is  mine!  He  loves  me!  He  said  he  did," 
Manuela  said,  brokenly.  Her  great,  beautiful  eyes, 
all  swimming  in  tears,  were  turned  up  to  mine  with 
a  look  of  supplication  that  was  pitiful.  "Don't  you, 
dearest?" 

The  pathos  of  that  voice  would  have  moved  a 
heart  of  granite.  Tears  came  to  my  eyes.  I  tried  to 
speak,  but  the  words  choked  in  my  throat.  I 
glanced  at  Carmencita,  but  I  could  not  bear  her 
steady,  passionate  gaze  and  I  had  to  turn  away. 

"Have  you  deceived  me?"  she  asked,  her  breath 
coming  in  short,  quick  gasps.  "Is  what  this  woman 
says  true?" 

She  was  struggling  to  control  her  emotion,  and 
she  succeeded.  She  stood  there  calm  and  stolid  to 
all  appearances,  but  I  knew  that  this  was  only  a 
mask. 

I  glanced  from  Carmencita's  stolid,  commanding 
figure  to  the  little  trembling,  fearful  woman  at 
my  side.  She  trusted  me  still,  I  could  see  that  in 
the  eyes  that  were  so  pitifully  upturned  to  mine. 
Great  heavens !  I  could  not  crush  that  tender  little 
heart,  hungering  so  for  the  love  that  had  never  been 
hers. 

I  did  not  love  Manuela,  but  I  pitied  her.  I  pitied 
her  with  my  whole  heart,  and  all  the  strength  of 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.-  '279. 

my  nature.  Could  I  so  cruelly  shatter  the  faith 
and  confidence  she  had  in  me?  I  never  thought  of 
the  power  that  she  exerted  over  me,  that  she  could 
have  had  me  cast  into  prison.  Nothing  of  this  in- 
fluenced me.  It  was  Manuela  herself. 

The  pctions  of  a  man  are  not  always  to  be  judged 
by  outward  appearances,  or  even  by  his  own  read- 
ing of  his  own  soul.  I  loved  Carmencita;  I  loved 
her  madly;  I  knew  at  that  moment  that  I  loved 
her;  yet  my  pity  for  this  beautiful  creature,  who 
trusted  in  me,  surpassed  my  love  for  her. 

"I  am  yours,"  I  said,  turning  to  Manuela.  I 
had  meant  to  add  something  by  way  of  explanation 
to  Carmencita,  but  words  failed  me. 

I  hope  it  will  never  again  be  my  lot  to  behold  a 
human  face  with  the  expression  that  passed  over 
Carmencita's  as  she  heard  my  words.  For  a  mo- 
ment she  stared  at  me,  motionless,  as  if  she  could 
not  believe  the  testimony  of  her  own  ears.  There 
was  not  a  tear  in  her  eye,  and  her  face  was  expres- 
sionless as  carved  stone.  The  quiver  of  her  lip 
alone,  though,  expressed  more  and  deeper  emotion 
than  a  torrent  of  tears. 

Then  a  smile,  such  as  I  never  saw  before  and 
never  want  to  see  again,  passed  over  her  face,  a 
smile  so  full  of  pain,  and  without  even  a  semblance 
of  mirth.  I  was  unable  to  speak.  She  broke  into 
a  harsh,  half-maniacal  laugh,  and  then,  without  a 
word  of  anger  or  reproach,  without  a  word  to  indi- 
cate what  she  was  suffering,  she  passed  out  of  the 
room,  a  queen  to  the  last. 

I  watched  the  door  through  which  she  passed 
with  sightless  eyes.  I  was  unable  to  withdraw  my 
gaze  from  it.  I  knew  that  my  words  had  wounded 


280  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

her,  but  they  were  past  recalling  now.  I  was  heed- 
less of  the  caresses  that  Manuela  showered  upon 
me.  I  only  knew  that  Carmencita  Paramonte  was 
the  one  woman  I  loved,  and  that  I  had  alienated 
myself  from  her,  perhaps  forever. 

Heedless  of  my  indifference,  Manuela  was  show- 
ering caresses  upon  me.  I  knew  that  it  had  been 
through  her  that  I  had  alienated  the  woman  I  loved. 
I  tried  to  be  harsh  with  her,  but  I  could  not.  In- 
stead I  took  her  in  my  arms  and  kissed  her. 

She  was  happy  as  a  lark.  She  was  blinded  by  her 
great  love  for  me.  Now  that  she  was  in  my  arms 
she  did  not  even  ask  an  explanation  of  the  scene  she 
had  just  witnessed.  For  her,  tender,  confiding  lit- 
tle woman  that  she  was,  it  sufficed  that  I  had  de- 
clared that  I  loved  her. 

"I  am  so  happy  with  you,"  she  murmured,  nest- 
ling her  head  upon  my  shoulder  and  turning  her 
sweet  face  up  to  mine. 

"It  can't  last  much  longer,  though,"  I  returned 
gently.  "I  must  leave  Peru." 

"I  thought  you  had  already  gone,"  she  said.  "I 
could  not  live  here  any  longer  without  you.  When 
I  saw  you  coming  here,  and  followed  you,  I  was  go- 
ing to  end  it  forever." 

"I  wish  we  could  end  it  once  and  forever." 

She  grasped  my  arm. 

"Why  not?"  she  exclaimed  with  parted  lips. 
"Why  not  die  together?  But,  oh,  no,  I  am  not 
ready  to  die!  I  cannot." 

"Then  we  must  part." 

"Must  we,  though?  It  is  so  hard.  You  say  you 
are  going  away.  Can't  I  go  with  you?  We  could 
go  somewhere — anywhere — just  as  far  away  from 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  281 

Peru  as  we  can  get.  Oh,  let  us  go  away  together. 
We  could  live  so  happily.  We  would  have  love,  and 
that  is  everything.  Please  don't  leave  me  here 
without  vou." 

"But,  Manuela " 

"Please  don't  leave  me.  I  love  you  so.  If  you 
leave  me  here  I  shall  die.  I  can't  live  here  without 
you.  You  will  not  refuse,  will  you,  dearest?'' 

A  very  demon  took  possession  of  me.  Why  not? 
I  said.  Why  not  leave  Carmencita  and  fly  with  this 
woman  who  loves  you?  Why  not  let  her  follow  you 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth?  Why  not  do  this,  leave 
all  the  guilty  past  behind  and  live  only  for  the  fu- 
ture? 

Just  then  there  was  a  heavy  tramp  outside,  and 
the  knob  of  the  door  was  turned.  The  door  swung 
open.  The  newcomer  pushed  angrily  in.  Manuela 
gave  a  frightened  scream  as  she  caught  sight  of 
him.  She  clung  to  me  in  terror. 

"Oh,  don't  let  him  touch  me !"  she  cried. 

I  put  my  arm  about  her  waist  to  support  her. 
The  other  hand  gripped  the  butt  of  my  revolver.  I 
recognized  the  man  the  instant  I  saw  him.  It  was 
Colonel  Aguilar.  His  uniform  was  dusty  and  dirty 
from  travel.  I  supposed  that  he  had  just  arrived 
in  Arequipa.  He  wore  his  sword  and  revolver. 

He  glanced  quickly  around  the  room.  I  had 
thought  him  a  man  of  iron  without  any  human 
passion  or  motive,  but  here  was  perhaps  the  one 
weak  point  in  his  armor.  He  stepped  back  and  his 
stern,  hard  face  was  fairly  livid. 

"So  here  is  my  wife !"  he  exclaimed.  "So  this  is 
where  you  were  going!  You  didn't  know  that  I 
was  following  you,  but  I  was  all  the  same.  What 


282  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

Satander  told  me  was  true.  I  didn't  believe  it  then, 
but  now — you  dog !"  to  me.  "I'll  give  you  what  you 
deserve." 

Manuela  was  still  clinging  to  me  in  her  terror, 
calling  on  me  to  protect  her.  Suddenly  she  uttered 
a  little  shriek  of  fear  as  Colonel  Aguilar  drew  his 
great  army  revolver.  She  clung  still  more  tena- 
ciously to  me. 

I  saw  Colonel  Aguilar's  move  and  tried  to  get 
my  own  revolver  out,  but  with  maddening  perver- 
sity the  hammer  of  the  weapon  caught  upon  my 
pocket.  Colonel  Aguilar  pointed  his  revolver  at 
me,  and  his  finger  crooked  around  the  trigger. 

"You  shall  die!"  he  cried  hoarsely. 

He  pulled  the  trigger.  However,  he  must  have 
been  too  much  disturbed  to  take  aim,  for  instead 
of  me,  the  bullet  struck  Manuela.  She  fell  back  per- 
fectly limp  in  my  arms. 

"Coward!  Murderer!"  I  cried,  unable  to  control 
myself.  "You  have  murdered  as  pure  a  woman  as 
God  ever  made  in  human  form.  You  devil !" 

But  Colonel  Aguilar  was  also  beside  himself  with 
rage  and  fury.  He  did  not  care  that  he  had  just 
shot  his  wife.  Crack !  he  fired  at  me  again.  He  was 
beside  himself  with  fury  and  did  not  take  time  to 
aim. 

My  revolver  came  out  now,  and  I  fired  at  him. 
My  first  shot  was  without  effect,  but  at  the  second 
Colonel  Aguilar  sank  into  a  shapeless  heap.  The 
blood  was  streaming  from  a  bullet  hole  between  his 
eyes. 

Manuela  was  a  dead  weight  in  my  arms.  A  great 
lump  rose  in  my  throat  as  I  carried  her  to  a  little 
wooden  bench  at  one  side,  and  stretched  her  at  full 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  283 

length  upon  it.  A  great  red  stain  on  the  bosom  of 
her  dress  showed  where  her  husband's  bullet  had 
struck  her.  A  great  wave  of  pity  came  over  me. 

Tenderly  I  smoothed  out  the  folds  of  her  dress, 
heedless  of  the  fact  that  I  might  be  discovered  and 
arrested  a.t  any  moment.  She  opened  her  eyes 
wearily,  and  a  sad  smile  came  over  her  pallid  face. 

"It  is  for  the  best,"  she  whispered,  huskily.  "I 
could  not  love  you  in  life,  but  I  can  love  you  in 
death.  Kiss  me,  dearest."  She  put  her  arms  around 
my  neck  as  I  bent  over  and  imprinted  a  last  kiss 
upon  her  lips. 

The  effort  was  too  much  for  her.  With  a  spasm 
of  pain  she  sank  back  and  closed  her  eyes. 

"Thank  God !  she  never  knew !"  I  murmured  as  I 
rose. 


284  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

I  MEET  EIABLO. 

I  realized  now  that  my  position  was  very  perilous 
indeed.  At  any  moment  some  one  who  had  heard 
the  shots  might  appear,  and  then  it  would  be  all 
over  with  me.  I  tiptoed  across  the  room  to  the 
door  and  peeped  out.  I  could  see  nobody.  It  sur- 
prised me  to  find  that  there  was  nobody  about,  but 
I  took  advantage  of  the  fact  and  hurried  out. 

I  glanced  quickly  about  as  I  came  out  of  the 
room,  but  no  one  took  any  notice  of  me.  A  little 
distance  away  I  saw  some  men  running  in  the  op- 
posite direction.  Later  in  the  day  I  learned  that 
there  had  been  a  shooting  scrape  in  a  low  dive  a 
short  distance  away,  and  those  who  heard  the  shots 
in  the  station  had  supposed  that  they  proceeded 
from  this  point.  Happily  no  one  was  near  enough 
to  positively  know  from  what  point  the  shots  pro- 
ceeded. It  was  a  narrow  escape,  and  I  thanked 
my  lucky  stars  that  I  had  escaped. 

Thanking  heaven  that  I  was  still  free,  I  hurried 
away  from  the  station.  For  hours  I  continued 
walking  hither  and  thither,  all  over  the  city,  with- 
out very  well  knowing  what  I  was  doing.  I  must 
have  attracted  considerable  attention,  and  it  is  a 
wonder  to  me  now  that  I  was  not  arrested. 

I  was  not  sorry  that  I  had  killed  Colonel  Aguilar. 
I  had  acted  in  self-defense,  and  even  had  not  that 
been  so,  it  was  but  a  just  revenge  for  Manuela's 
death.  What  I  wanted  to  find  principally  was  a 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  285 

way  to  reinstate  myself  in  Carmencita's  affections. 

"There's  only  one  thing  that  I  can  do,"  I  decided 
at  last,  "and  that  is  to  go  around  and  see  her. 
Maybe  I  can  make  her  change  her  mind." 

I  presumed  that  when  she  left  the  station  she  had 
returned  straight  home.  At  any  rate,  I  determined 
to  go  there.  Immediately  I  put  my  resolve  in  execu- 
tion. 

A  servant  opened  the  door  for  me.  I  thought  he 
looked  at  me  rather  harshly. 

"Is  Senorita  Paramonte  in?"  I  asked. 

"Xo,  she  is  not,"  he  returned,  with  a  trace  of  hes- 
itation. 

"I  am  sorry." 

I  was  about  to  turn  away,  when  I  thought  I 
caught  sight  of  Carmencita  through  the  half-open 
door. 

"Tell  Senorita  Paramonte  that  I  must  see  her,"  I 
said. 

"She  is  not  in,"  persisted  the  servant. 

"And  I  know  that  she  is  in.    I  have  just  seen  her." 

The  servant  tried  to  slam  the  door  in  my  face, 
but  I  threw  out  my  foot  and  held  it  open. 

"I  will  see  her,"  I  said  angrily. 

Then  by  sheer  force  I  pushed  the  door  open  and 
entered  the  house.  The  servant  was  retreating  be- 
fore me,  as  if  he  expected  me  to  give  him  a  good 
thrashing. 

As  I  shut  the  door  behind  me  I  caught  sight  of 
Carmencita  again.  She  did  not  shrink  from  me,  as 
I  had  expected,  but  instead  came  out  where  I  was. 
Her  face  was  still  as  expressionless  as  marble,  but 
I  could  see  that  she  had  suffered.  I  detested  myself 
for  having  been  the  cause  of  that  suffering. 


286  -A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"I  thought  I  had  done  with  you,"  she  said,  speak- 
ing in  slow,  measured  tones,  without  a  trace  of  feel- 
ing. "I  have  discovered  your  real  character  at 
last,  and  I  thank  God  for  it.  You  are  nothing  to 
me." 

"I  have  come  to  you  to  explain,"  I  began,  speak- 
ing with  difficulty. 

"To  explain !"  she  exclaimed  with  a  bitter  laugh. 
"Such  deception  as  yours  cannot  be  explained." 

"But,  Carmencita,  I  beg  you  to  listen  to  me.  It, 
was  for  your  own  safety  and  mine  that  I  told  that 
woman  that  I  loved  her,  when  really  my  heart  be- 
longed to  you  alone." 

This  was  a  lie,  and  I  knew  it,  but  it  was  the  most 
plausible  explanation  that  I  could  make  Carmen- 
cita. 

"For  my  safety,  bah !" 

"But  listen  to  me.  That  woman  knew  who  I  am. 
She  knew  that  I  was  a  rebel,  and  that  I  had  escaped 
from  Santa  Rossa.  It  was  in  her  power  to  disclose 
my  real  identity,  and  hand  me  over  to  the  govern- 
ment. I  had  had  to  pretend  that  I  was  in  love  with 
her  before.  I  had  to  keep  up  that  pretense  there. 
If  I  hadn't  we  would  both  have  been  arrested.  Don't 
you  see  how  it  is,  Carmencita,  dearest?"  I  continued 
eagerly.  "If  I  had  told  her  the  truth — that  I  loved 
you  alone — a  word  from  her  and  it  would  have  all 
been  up  for  us  both.  Believe  me,  won't  you,  Car- 
mencita?" 

"Seiior  Garnack,"  she  said,  sternly,  "you  deceived 
me  cruelly,  shamefully-  You  are  deceiving  me  now. 
Believe  you?  Take  your  word?  I  would  sooner 
take  the  word  of  the  vilest  criminal  in  all  Peru." 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  287 

,  "I  haven't  deceived  you,  Carmencita,  I  do  love 
you.  I " 

"Then  you  have  deceived  this  other  woman. 
There  is  no  difference.  Necessity?  Do  you  sup- 
pose that  I  am  going  to  believe  there  was  any  neces- 
sity about  it?  How  could  I  be  happy  as  your  wife, 
knowing  that  this  woman  loves  you." 

"But  think  of  your  own  position.  What  if  you 
were  arrested?" 

"I  would  sooner  languish  in  the  vilest  dungeon  in 
Peru  than  trust  myself  in  your  hands." 

"But,  Carmencita,  I  love  you." 

"How  can  you  talk  about  love?" 

"You  would  make  a  fortune  upon  the  stage,"  I 
said,  changing  my  tactics.  "You  are  a  queen  of 
tragedy." 

"And  you  are  a  king  of  villainy." 

"But,  Carmencita,  won't  you  believe  me?  Won't 
you  trust  me?  I  love  you,  and  you  alone." 

"Two  hours  ago  you  declared  that  you  loved  an- 
other." 

"That  was  necessity." 

"Necessity.  You — oh,  please  go  away.  I  don't 
want  to  ever  see  you  again.  Let  me  forget  you." 

"Don't  you  love  me,  Carmencita?"  I  asked,  ten- 
derly, stepping  toward  her. 

She  shrank  from  me. 

"Don't  touch  me,"  she  cried.    "Please  go  away." 

"Don't  you  love  me?"  I  continued,  pleadingly. 

"Once  I  loved  you.  God  only  knows  how  I  loved 
you.  I  was  willing  to  trust  my  life,  my  honor, 
everything  to  you.  But  now,  I  hate  you.  I  never 
want  to  see  your  face  again.  Please  leave  me." 


288  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

"Very  well,"  I  said  quietly,  choking  down  my 
emotion.  "I  will  leave  you." 

I  hurried  out  of  the  house.  Carmencita  was  for- 
ever lost  to  me.  I  had  loved  her  madly,  passionate- 
ly, but  I  had  lost  her.  I  must  leave  Arequipa  im- 
mediately, and  it  must  be  without  Carmencita.  A 
great  lump  rose  in  my  throat. 

My  head  was  throbbing  madly.  Every  nerve  in 
my  body  was  on  end.  I  must  blunt  my  sensibili- 
ties somehow,  or  I  felt  that  I  would  go  mad.  The 
consuming  fires  of  passion  were  coursing  through 
my  veins.  I  went  into  the  first  wine  shop  I  came 
to,  and  got  a  glass  of  whiskey.  I  swallowed  it  at 
one  gulp  and  called  for  another.  The  bar-keeper 
'seemed  to  have  some  doubts  concerning  my  sanity, 
but  he  poured  out  another  glass.  This,  too,  I  swal- 
lowed at  a  single  gulp. 

The  whiskey  did  have  the  effect  of  at  least  par- 
tially deadening  my  feelings.  I  kept  on  drinking 
at  every  wine  shop  I  came  to,  and  pretty  soon  I 
must  have  been  getting  a  little  tipsy. 

In  one  of  the  low  dives  I  ran  across  Riablo.  He 
recognized  me  immediately. 

"Why,  how  does  it  come  that  you  are  here?"  he 
asked.  "I  thought  you  were  captured  as  a  burglar 
that  night  we  robbed  old  Aribla's  house?" 

"I  wasn't,  though,"  I  returned.  Then  I  told  him 
how  I  managed  to  escape. 

"I  got  away  with  all  the  stuff  before  the  soldiers 
came.  I  thought  they  had  got  you,  though." 

"But  they  didn't,  thank  the  Lord !" 

"You're  looking  devilish  bad,  I  must  say,  Gar- 
nack,"  he  continued.  "What's  troubling  you?" 

I  was  just  drunk  enough  to  be  ready  to  confide 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  289 

anything  to  anybody,  regardless  of  the  conse- 
quences. If  a  soldier  had  asked  me,  I  suppose  I 
would  have  told  him  everything.  At  any  rate,  I  at 
once  blurted  out  to  Riablo  the  tale  of  my  infatua- 
tion with  Carmeucita  Paramonte,  and  the  compli- 
cations which  Manuela's  infatuation  with  me  had 
brought  about. 

The  clever  villain  listened  quietly  to  the  whole 
story.  He  seemed  interested. 

"You  certainly  are  in  a  devil  of  a  hole,"  he  said. 

"Yes,  and  I've  got  to  get  out  of  Peru  as  soon  as 
I  can.  I  am  liable  to  be  arrested  at  any  time." 

"Yes,  you  certainly  are  in  a  complicated  fix." 

"What  would  you  do  about  it?"  I  asked,  turning 
to  Riablo's  resourceful  mind  for  advice. 

He  smiled  slowly.  There  wras  a  wicked  gleam  in 
that  smile. 

"Do  you  want  to  marry  the  girl?"  he  asked, 
glancing  up. 

"Of  course." 

••Well,  then,  I  believe  I  have  a  plan  that  will 
suit  you,"  he  said,  smiling  again. 

"What  is  it?"    I  asked. 

"It's  a  little  bit  shady,  but  I  don't  think  you'll 
object  to  it  on  account  of  its  evil." 

"But  I  want  to  hear  your  plan." 

"Well,  it's  just  this.  I  know  of  a  priest  about  a 
mile  out  of  the  city.  He'll  undertake  the  job  for 
you.  He  hasn't  any  more  scruples  about  such 
things  than  I  have.  He's  had  work  like  this  be- 
fore." 

"But  your  plan." 

"Now,  just  after  dark  to-night  we  can  go  up  to 
where  your  lady  is  staying  with  a  carriage,  We  J 


290  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

can  lure  the  girl  out  somehow  and  take  her  away 
to  the  priest  in  the  carriage.  The  priest  will  marry 
you  to  her  all  right  I'll  hide  you  till  you  can  get 
out  of  the  country  with  her.  What  do  you  think 
of  it?" 

I  was  just  drunk  enough  to  be  ready  to  take  part 
in  any  such  foolhardy  plan. 

"It's  the  Tery  thing,"  I  cried. 

During  the  afternoon  Riablo  and  I  looked  after 
the  details  of  the  plan.  For  a  small  consideration 
the  villainous  old  priest  was  found  to  be  quite  ready 
to  perform  the  forced  ceremony.  We  got  a  car- 
riage, but  we  were  afraid  to  employ  a  regular 
driver,  and  Riablo  was  to  hold  the  reins.  I  was  to 
devote  myself  to  our  beautiful  prisoner. 

Riablo  had  arranged,  after  the  ceremony  was 
performed,  to  keep  us  in  hiding  for  a  week  or  two, 
until  I  could  get  across  the  frontier  with  my  un- 
willing bride. 

By  evening  the  whiskey  had  died  out  to  some 
extent.  Then  I  realized  fully  the  enormity  of  our 
devilish  undertaking,  but  I  determined  to  carry  it 
through  now.  I  justified  the  course  we  were  tak- 
ing by  the  thought  that  Carmencita  was  really  in 
love  with  me,  and  was  only  angry  on  account  of 
Manuela.  Had  I  been  alone  I  might  have  given 
over  the  undertaking  altogether,  but  I  did  not  care 
to  bring  Riablo's  ridicule  down  upon  me. 

At  the  eleventh  hour,  however,  I  decided  that  I 
would  at  least  test  Carmencita's  love.  If  the  test 
convinced  me  that  she  really  loved  me,  I  would 
carry  the  thing  out,  but  if  it  was  the  other  way  I 
would  give  the  thing  over,  and  leave  the  country 
alone. 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  291 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

AN  INTERRUPTED  CEREMONY. 

In  accordance  with  the  plan  that  we  had  worked 
out,  Riablo  and  I  drove  up  to  Carmencita's  just 
after  nightfall.  I  sprang  from  the  carriage  and 
started  up  to  the  house.  Just  at  that  moment  the 
door  opened,  and  a  tall  figure  was  silhouetted 
against  the  light  of  the  house.  I  concealed  myself 
behind  a  bush  which  happened  to  be  convenient 
He  rushed  past  me  almost  at  a  run,  and  did  not  see 
me. 

"If  I  can  only  find  that  infernal  scoundrel  Gar- 
nack,"  I  heard  him  mutter  as  he  rushed  past,  "I'll 
shoot  him  the  minute  I  see  him.  The  infernal 
villain !" 

So  Carmencita  had  told  her  old  lover  of  my  per- 
fidy. This  only  made  my  stay  in  Arequipa  more 
perilous.  Raymond  was  so  engrossed  in  his  own 
thoughts  that  he  hardly  noticed  the  carriage  stand- 
ing at  the  curb.  I  had  no  doubt  that  he  meant  to 
hunt  me  up  and  kill  me. 

As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  I  hurried  up  to  the  door 
and  knocked  upon  it  roughly.  I  pulled  down  the 
brim  of  my  hat  and  turned  up  the  collar  of  my  coat, 
so  as  to  conceal  my  features  as  much  as  possible. 
I  did  not  want  Carmencita  to  know  who  I  was  at 
the  time.  __ 

The  same  servant  that  had  opened  the  door  for 


292  A  MAN  OF  AMBITION. 

t 

me  that  morning  opened  it  now,  but  he  did  not 
recognize  me. 

"I  want  to  see  Senorita  Paramonte  on  important 
matters,"  I  said,  disguising  my  voice  as  much  as 
possible. 

In  a  moment  Carmencita  appeared. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked. 

I  meant  now  to  test  her  love. 

"Senor  Garnack  was  wounded  in  a  duel,"  I  said, 
in  disguised  tones.  "He  is  at  the  house  of  a  friend 
outside  the  city.  He  wishes  to  see  you." 

I  saw  her  tremble,  and  a  look  of  troubled  eager- 
ness that  was  pleasing  to  me  came  over  her  face. 

"Senor  Garnack,  did  you  say?" 

"Yes,  he  desires  to  see  you." 

I  disguised  my  voice  so  well  that  she  never 
guessed  my  real  identity.  She  hesitated  for  an 
instant. 

"How  am  I  to  go?"   she  asked,  brokenly. 

"We  have  a  carriage  for  you." 

"I  will  go,"  she  said. 

She  disappeared  for  a  moment,  and  then  returned 
ready  for  her  journey.  She  took  my  arm  and  I 
trembled  at  her  touch.  In  a  moment  we  were  at 
the  carriage. 

She  got  in  first  and  sank  back  among  the 
cushions.  As  I  sprang  in  after  her,  my  hat  was 
caught  and  jerked  back  from  my  face.  We  were  in 
the  light,  and  my  face  was  disclosed  to  her.  A  look 
of  terror  came  over  her  face  and  she  gave  a  little 
scream. 

Cursing  my  clumsiness,  I  put  my  hand  over  her 
pretty  mouth  and  jerked  her  roughly  back  to  her 
seat,  from  which  she  had  risen.  She  offered  no  re- 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  293 

sistance,  but  she  was  trembling,  and  she  shuddered 
at  my  touch. 

"For  God's  sake  drive  up !"  I  called  out  to  Riablo. 

Riablo's  whip  cracked,  the  horses  started  for- 
ward, the  carriage  lurched  a  bit  and  we  were  off. 
Iviablo  drove  as  fast  as  he  could  without  attracting 
special  attention.  In  a  very  few  minutes  we  were 
out  of  the  city. 

I  took  niy  hand  from  Carmencita's  mouth.  She 
made  no  outcry  whatever. 

"So  it's  you,  is  it?"   she  exclaimed. 

"Yes,  it's  me,"  I  returned  with  some  irony. 

"I  thought  better  of  you,"  she  returned,  with  a 
little  quiver  in  her  voice. 

"I  mean  you  no  harm." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me?"  she  asked, 
with  a  little  gasp. 

"I  am  going  to  have  you  marry  me,"  I  returned 
grimly. 

"I  suspected  as  much." 

"I  love  you,  Carmencita." 

"Is  this  the  way  you  prove  your  love?" 

I  bit  my  lip  and  said  nothing. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  arrived  at  the  little  church 
where  the  ceremony  was  to  be  performed.  A  vio- 
lent fit  of  trembling  seized  Carmencita  as  the 
carriage  drew  up.  She  recovered  her  composure, 
though,  as  I  assisted  her  from  the  carriage.  We 
entered  the  church  together. 

"In  five  minutes,  Carmencita,"  I  wThispered,  "you 
will  be  my  wife." 

"Oh,  Seiior  Garnack,"  she  suddenly  cried,  im- 
ploringly, "don't  force  this  upon  me.  If  you  have 
one  spark  of  manhood  left— 


294  A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

"I  haven't,  though,"  I  interrupted,  biting  my  lip. 
"The  only  thing  I  know  is  that  I  love  you  with  all 
iny  heart." 

"Yet  you  force  this  upon  me." 

"Carmencita,  I  love  you,  and  I  know  that  you 
love  me.  I  have  determined  that  you  shall  be  my 
wife.  Then  we  will  leave  this  country  forever.  I 
mean  what  I  say." 

She  looked  at  me  wistfully,  yet  bravely.  There 
were  tears  in  her  eyes.  However,  she  rose  to  the 
full  height  of  her  queenly  dignity,  and  she  grasped 
my  arm. 

"Very  well,  if  you  are  determined,  I  am  ready," 
she  said  simply. 

I  led  her  up  to  the  altar.  Her  face  was  white 
and  set,  and  she  was  staring  straight  in  front  of 
her.  In  the  pale  light  there  was  something  terribly 
ghastly  and  deathlike  about  her. 

Hand  in  hand  we  stood  before  the  altar.  Her 
hand  was  cold  and  clammy  in  mine.  Riablo  was 
the  only  witness.  The  priest  was  there  in  his  long 
robes.  He  was  a  crafty  little  scoundrel,  with  a 
flabby,  sensual  face,  ungainly  body  and  repulsive 
appearance.  He  smiled  at  us  patronizingly. 

I  glanced  at  Carmencita.  She  was  staring  at  the 
floor  in  front  of  her,  but  her  bosom  was  heaving 
with  emotion.  A  wave  of  pity  surged  through  my 
heart.  Suddenly  her  eyes  were  raised  to  mine  with 
a  look  of  mute  appeal,  although  no  sound  came 
from  her  lips. 

"My  God!"  I  exclaimed,  "I  can't  stand  this! 
Carmencita,  unless  you  wish  it,  this  thing  goes  no 
further.  God  knows  I  love  you  and  want  you  for 
my  wife,  but  I  can't  do  this  thing !" 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  295 

A  happy  light  came  into  her  eyes,  and  a  soft  flush 
overspread  her  face. 

Before  Carmencita  could  reply  there  was  a  great 
clatter  of  hoofs  on  the  outside.  A  sickly,  yellow 
hue  crept  over  the  old  priest's  flabby  face.  Riablo 
was  alarmed.  My  knees  were  shaking  beneath  me. 

Riablo  sprang  to  his  feet  and  made  a  dash  for  a 
window  at  the  rear.  He  was  a  wary  scoundrel,  and 
meant  to  take  no  chances.  There  was  a  crash  of 
glass  and  Riablo  was  gone.  I  would  have  followed 
his  example,  but  I  was  unable  to  move. 

A  moment  later  the  door  of  the  church  was  flung 
open.  I  half  expected  a  dozen  armed  men  to  swarm 
in,  but  there  was  only  one.  The  priest  was  on 
his  knees  supplicating  him  to  treat  him  as  a  man 
of  God.  With  alarm  I  recognized  the  man  as 
Raymond.  Doubtless  he  had  heard  Carmencita's 
scream  and  had  followed  us. 

"Oh,  it's  you,  is  it?"  he  cried  out  as  he  recog- 
nized me.  "You  devil !" 

I  was  too  much  surprised  to  move.  I  made  no 
attempt  to  get  at  my  revolver.  Raymond's  hand 
quickly  went  round  to  his  hip;  he  drew  his  re- 
volver, and  pointed  it  at  my  head.  It  was  cocked, 
and  his  finger  curled  nervously  around  the  trigger. 
I  remembered  what  I  had  heard  him  say.  I  was 
sure  that  he  meant  to  kill  me,  and  I  tried  to  say 
my  prayers, 

"Garnack,"  he  said,  sternly,  "you  infernal  scoun- 
drel, you'll  get  your  just  deserts  now7!  You  de- 
ceived this  woman !  I  give  you  ten  seconds  to  live." 

I  was  ready  to  drop  from  fear.  His  hand  was 
twitching  nervously.  Any  moment  might  be  my 
last.  Carmencita  was  clutching  my  arm  nervously. 


A  MAN  OP  AMBITION. 

"Oh,  don't  shoot  him !"  she  called  to  Raymond 
imploringly.  "Please  don't!" 

He  glanced  at  her  in  a  startled  way.  Evidently 
he  had  not  expected  interference  from  this  quarter. 

"Why  not?"  he  demanded  fiercely.  "Why  not 
shoot  the  black-hearted  devil?" 

She  flushed  and  her  grasp  upon  my  arm  tight- 
ened, as  she  framed  her  reply. 

"Because,"  she  said,  hesitatingly,  "because  I— 
I  love  him!" 

I  acknowledge  that  I  was  surprised.  I  least  ex- 
pected an  avowal  of  her  love  at  this  time.  Ray- 
mond was  dumfounded. 

"You  love  him?"  he  repeated,  incredulously. 
"After  what  he's  done?" 

"Yes,  I  love  him !    Oh,  please  don't  shoot  him  I'1 

Raymond  hesitated  a  moment.  Then  he  gave  a 
harsh  laugh  and  put  up  his  revolver. 

"Very  well,"  he  said,  calmly,  and  with  resigna- 
tion. "I  swore  I  would  kill  him,  but  I'll  spare  him 
for  your  sake.  God  knows  he  doesn't  deserve  it, 
though." 

I  glanced  in  bewilderment,  first  at  Raymond  and 
then  at  Carmencita.  Her  cheeks  were  ruddy  and 
the  light  of  love  was  dancing  in  her  eyes.  Raymond 
was  at  a  loss  what  to  do. 

"Do  you  mean  that  you  really  want  to  marry 
this  scoundrel?"  he  demanded. 

Carmencita  flushed  still  more  and  lowered  her 
eyes. 

"Yes,  I  do,"  she  said  hesitatingly.  "I  do  want 
to  marry  him." 

"Then  it  shall  be  so." 

The  priest  was  still  praying,  half  frightened  to 


A  MAN  OF  AMBITION.  29? 

death.  At  Raymond's  order  he  proceeded  with  the 
ceremony.  I  don't  think  he  realized  what  he  was 
doing.  For  my  part,  it  was  all  like  a  dream  to  me 
— the  words  that  made  Carmencita  Paramonte  my 
wife.  Raymond  watched  the  ceremony  with  a  grim, 
ironical  sneer,  entirely  foreign  to  his  nature. 

"Congratulations,  Garnack!"  he  said  with  a 
harsh  laugh,  grasping  my  hand. 

Then  he  strode  out  of  the  little  church.  He 
paused  for  an  instant  in  the  doorway,  and  glanced 
back.  Then  his  tall  form  was  lost  in  the  gloom.  I 
never  saw  him  again. 


My  story  is  done.  Three  days  later,  Carmencita 
and  myself  were  on  a  steamer  bearing  northward, 
with  Peru  forever  behind  us. 


THE  END. 


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